Disabled protesters fined for blocking roads
As protesters blocked Highway 1 again as part of their struggle to bring disability pensions to minimum wage levels, police forces came to disperse them as usual—but, for the first time, decided to also fine them for their traffic violations.
For the first time since they began their struggle, police on Monday fined disabled demonstrators blocking a road.
About 10 disabled demonstrators blocked Highway 1 in the Latrun Interchange area on Monday morning, as part of their struggle to bring disability pensions to minimum wage levels.
Police forces arrived at the scene to disperse the protesters as usual, but this time they came armed with pen and papers—handing out NIS 500 ($142) tickets to any person they found participating in the blockade.
The protest took place after the police announced Sunday it would no longer allow the disabled protesters to block roads as part of their struggle.
"While serious distruptions continue, the police will enforce traffic laws," the police said in a statement, adding that their decision came "following an increase in severe violations by the protest movement for disabled rights."
The demonstrators who blocked the road did not operate within the framework of the three main organizations that lead the protest, who are still debating how to act in light of the change in police policy.
The organization "Disabled Panthers" stated, "On Tuesday, we will have a meeting with the Israel Police regarding roadblocks. Until then, we will not block roads. Afterwards, we will decide on our next steps and what form our struggle will take."
A representative of the police's traffic enforcement division phoned Naomi Moravia, the head of the "Struggle for the Disabled" group, to notify her of the policy change and propose "alternative protest methods that do not create serious disruptions to traffic."
"We started talking about alternatives and about holding our protests with their authorization, and with advance notice," Moravia said. "The police know we always open a lane and do not disrupt traffic for more than an hour or so."
Moravia harshly criticized both the police and the government. "We are just days before Yom Kippur, and the government of Israel will have to bring their bad decision before God. We have just begun the ten days of repentance, and they still have time to go back on their decision. I do not think arresting and beating disabled people will make for good publicity.
"We have no choice but to lament Israeli government's choice to use the Israel Police force against people with disabilities, instead of solving the real problem of the meager allowances given to a quarter of a million people who spent Rosh Hashanah dinner with empty tables.
"Regarding the roadblocks, we will sit down to talk, we will make a decision, and we will probably continue blocking roads."
