_a.jpg "Photo: Yaron Brenner")
Ben Gvir. Teaching court a lesson
Photo: Yaron Brenner
Rightist given 'Sharon insane' sign back
Court orders Wednesday a sign carrying Sharon's picture and the wording 'insane?' confiscated last year returned to right-wing activist, claims sign part of freedom of speech
The Jerusalem District Court Wednesday ordered police to give back to right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir a sign carrying Prime Minister's Ariel Sharon picture with the wording "Insane?"
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The sign was confiscated from Ben Gvir by police about a year ago, on claim it constituted an insult to a government employee. However, the court ruled that the sign was part of a legitimate protest, protected by the freedom of speech.
At a hearing held at the Magistrates Court, the state's prosecutors claimed that although they did not intend to indict Ben Gvir in the incident, his carrying of the sign represented an insult to a state's employee, and therefore the sign should not be returned to its owner.
The court turned down the state's request and ordered that Ben Gvir is given his sign back.
The state then went on and appealed to the Jerusalem District Court, which backed the Magistrates Court verdict.
Judge Moshe Gal ordered Wednesday that Ben Gvir receives the sign back, and wrote in his ruling that "this expression, even if it is harsh and severe, still constitutes a part of the freedom of speech in a democratic rule. These kinds of expressions are also protected by the right for freedom of speech, even if they are offensive."
In response, Ben Gvir told Ynet that he "was happy to teach the Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office a lesson or two on the freedom of speech."
"Unfortunately they failed to comprehend the basics any law student learns on his first year at university: Freedom of speech applies to the unpleasant, the outrageous and the irritating as well."
"If the sign irritates them, it's their problem," Ben Gvir concluded.
