Police raid Hadash offices in Umm al-Fahm, confiscate Palestinian flag ahead of May Day rally

Police raided the Umm al-Fahm offices of the youth wing of the Arab-majority Hadash party and tore down and confiscated a Palestinian flag ahead of a May Day rally, Haaretz reports.

The Hadash party and the Communist party tell the outlet that the officers did not identify themselves and it was unclear if they had a search warrant for the premises.

Activists tell the newspaper that raids are not uncommon ahead of events such as rallies.

Hadash-Ta’al lawmaker Ofer Cassif writes to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to demand an investigation.

“Breaking into a club belonging to a legal party on the eve of a legal protest march has a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression and association,” Cassif writes.

Senior Hadash official Yousef Jabareen tells Walla that he holds far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who is in charge of policing, responsible.

“It is a provocative and thuggish step with no legal basis whatsoever. This behavior is a continuation of the Ben Gvir police’s policy of silencing and suppressing freedom of expression,” he says.

Displaying a Palestinian flag is not illegal, but police regularly confiscate them, claiming they disturb the peace.

*רגע לפני צעדת האחד במאי: פשיטת משטרה מעוררת מחאה באום אל-פחם*

בשיא ההכנות לצעדת האחד במאי שתתקיים מחר בנצרת, כוחות משטרה פשטו על מועדון חד״ש והמפלגה הקומוניסטית באום אל-פחם באופן שעורר מחאה בקרב פעילים, ובמהלך הפשיטה השוטרים החרימו דגלי פלסטין ממועדון המפלגה הקומוניסטית. גם… pic.twitter.com/WoNoXdskqf

— יואב איתיאל מדווח כי (@yoavetiel) May 1, 2026