Extremists plan protest against Kotler

Actor and director Oded Kotler left his home in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening at the recommendation of Israel Police, after right-wing activists Michael Ben Ari and Itamar Ben Gvir brought haystacks to the lobby of the building where he lives ahead of a planned protest.

Ben Gvir said: “Don’t delude yourselves: he was speaking about the entire right wing. Their racism is against all of us. They are in fact primitive and medieval people, those who speak for freedom of expression and pluralism.”

Earlier this week, at a meeting in protest of recent comments by Culture Minister, Kotler disparaged a group of people he called “cud-chewing animals,” but later explained that he was referring to humanity as a whole and not just right-wing Likud voters. He was panned for his remark across the political spectrum and his explanation was not widely accepted.

According to Haaretz, police warned Kotler that the protest may turn violent and recommended he temporarily leave his home. According to the report Kotler received threats on his life through the internet and by telephone.