Israeli police attack freedom protest, destroy property
Israeli police descended on Israel’s freedom protest yesterday as it was completing its sixth straight day.
The anti-mandate protest began on February 14th as a convoy, inspired by Canada’s 2022 Freedom Convoy. Hundreds of vehicles from 40 cities across the country met at the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem, the seat of the Israel government.
While some protesters returned home at the end of the day, an estimated 300 stayed on, deciding to camp on the side of the road until all COVID-19 mandates are lifted. Reports on the ground say that there remained about 40 tents in the immediate vicinity of the Knesset.
The protesters had also erected a kitchen and another big tent with food. They brought composting toilets and a few people had motor homes or converted trucks.
Yaakov Fauci, one of the freedom protesters, says the atmosphere has been uplifting.
“I have never seen so much unity in any group before in Israel and this much diversity and open kindness,” Fauci told ALFDS Frontline News. “Everyone was welcome. There were Haredim (ultra-religious), non-religious and everything in between.”
Videos show the protesters singing and dancing. The protest has been entirely peaceful.
“It was completely peaceful to the point that there was no police presence there most of the time,” said Fauci. “At most one car.”
But yesterday, the Israeli police moved in and sacked the site.
“The mood was great until the police swooped in,” said Fauci.
The police raided the freedom encampment, tearing down tents and destroying personal property. In the process, they shoved people who were trying to protect their things. A video also shows policemen carrying a young woman away as the bewildered protesters ask what her charge is.
“So they swooped in without warning and violently confiscated and destroyed all the property there without even giving people a chance to pack up themselves,” Fauci said. “It was completely unnecessary and cruel. Needless destruction.”
Israeli police have an infamous reputation throughout the State of Israel of brutality and lawlessness, with little law enforcement oversight to protect citizens.
Earlier this month, ALFDS Frontline News reported that Israeli police officers attacked unarmed women who were protesting COVID-19 mandates outside the home of Israeli Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton. The women were part of a small protest against Israel’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Some weeks ago, another video surfaced showing Israeli policemen ordering unvaccinated people off a bus, despite there being no law to that effect.
