Channels

'Art also political.' Leftists protest
Photo: Activestills
'Extreme rightist.' Barkat at event
Photo: Activestills

'Bound Palestinians' interrupt Barkat speech

Leftists from Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity movement heckle mayor during art gallery opening, call out 'expulsion of Arabs from east Jerusalem homes'

Left-wing activists dressed as bound Palestinians interrupted on Tuesday the opening of a gallery displaying the work of students enrolled at Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.

 

As soon as Mayor Nir Barkat began to speak, he was heckled by about 20 members of Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity movement, who called out against the municipality's policy in east Jerusalem.

 

The movement protests against the presence of Jewish "settlers" in mostly Arab neighborhoods in east Jerusalem.

 

The bound and blindfolded activists yelled at Barkat, "You support the settlers; you refuse to give Arabs building permits and expel them from their homes."

 

One of the activists, Michael Salsbury, told Ynet, "We reminded (Barkat) that before the mayoral elections he pretended to be centrist, when in fact he is an extreme rightist."

 


Leftists protest during gallery opening (Photo: Activestills)

 

According to him, the activists were protesting against the municipality's plan to demolish Arab homes in east Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood. "Most of the young people at the event applauded us; of course there were others who were against us. We came to show that art is also political."

 

Barkat ignored the hecklers and delivered his speech in its entirety. His office said, "We regret the fact that a number of provocateurs resorted to violence and interrupted a cultural event attended by hundreds of students. Their claims, which border on incitement, are not worthy of a response."

 

A source close to Barkat called the act of protest "embarrassing," because according to him the mayor "has nothing to do with the court's decisions regarding Sheikh Jarrah."

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.26.10, 23:29
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment