This Democracy Didn't Work for Disengagement Protests

Reported:

The Gilad Schalit 'Freedom March' left Kibbutz Shefayim at 9 a.m. Sunday, causing massive traffic jams as the activists headed for Herzliya. One of the coastal roads was closed for the protesters until they reach Kfar Shmaryahu.

Drivers on the northern coast road supported and cheered the rally despite the traffic it caused. Traffic police suggested drivers take Routes 4 and 6 to avoid traffic.

Five years ago:-

Disengagement Protestors Block Tel Aviv Highway Almost an Hour

The protestors, who blocked the Tel Aviv area highway on the north-bound lanes near the entrance to Tel Aviv, were even joined by some motorists who were stuck in the traffic. At least two others responded violently toward the demonstrators. The latter distributed flyers explaining to drivers that while they apologize for the disruption, life cannot continue as usual as Jews face expulsion from their homes and a terror state is being created.

Police eventually arrived at the scene, including the notoriously violent Yassam unit, and arrested 18-20 protestors. The others were able to run away, though the police have some of their photos.

The police brought 11 adults before a Tel Aviv District Court judge today, as well as four minors to a children's court. The police requested that they be held under house arrest, but the courts agreed only to restrict them to their home communities for a month.

This, too:-

Meanwhile, 14 right-wing activists who were arrested for blocking Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway Monday night to protest the disengagement plan were charged yesterday with rioting and released on bail. All of those charged must remain in their communities for 30 days. Another protester detained by police remained in custody after refusing to identify himself. Three other detainees were not charged, but released under similar restrictions.

Four of the detainees were minors, and therefore, were indicted in Juvenile Court. The other 10 were charged in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court.

The activists' attorney, Uri Keinan, said after yesterday's court session that "the wholesale arrests made by the police were disproportionately violent. Even if police believe the defendants disrupted public order, there was no reason to use so much violence, and certainly not to arrest such a large number or protesters indiscriminately."

Here, too.


Israeli democracy, eh?


(Kippah tip: Carl)


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I Hope Those Pal. Solidarity Internationalists Don't Act Like This

Protesters in Athens targeted police officers with lasers yesterday as riots sparked by the police killing of a 15-year-old boy continued into a second week.

What's Missing?

What's missing in this story?

Activists block T.A. road with materials from W. Bank separation fence

Activists in a left wing group that calls itself the "Anarchists Against the Fence" blocked a main Tel Aviv road Saturday using barbed wire taken from the West Bank separation fence. The activists placed the barbed wire, taken from the section of the fence near the village of Bil'in, at the corner of Rothschild and Bar Ilan streets in central Tel Aviv.

On the barbed wire, the activists hung signs also taken from the fence, warning trespassers in Hebrew, English and Arabic that the fenced area is a closed military compound and anyone who tries to cross the fence or vandalize it in any way is putting his or her life at risk.

According to the activists, blocking the traffic on a central road was designed to symbolize the limiting of motion the fence imposes on the Palestinian people every day. "The disruption that our roadblock created is nothing compared to the disruptions caused by the army's checkpoints, the apartheid roads, the settlements and the separation fence," they said. The Anarchists blocked a different Tel Aviv street in a similar way some four weeks ago.

That's right - no arrests, no police beatings.

Just over a year ago, similar activity by the camp protesting the "disengagement" policy of Sharon and Co. would surely have prompted a harsh police reaction.