Police to allow anti-war rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night after High Court petition

The police agree to allow a demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to take place in Tel Aviv this Saturday night, after the Association for Civil Rights (ACRI) in Israel petitioned the High Court of Justice demanding it order the police to issue a permit for the rally.

The Tel Aviv Police Department initially refused to authorize the event, organized by the predominantly Arab Hadash party, on the grounds it could lead to civil disturbances, may harm the feelings of evacuees from southern Israel currently residing in Tel Aviv, and that the police lacked the manpower to secure the rally.

ACRI argued in its petition that the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of protest must be upheld even in a time of emergency and war, and that concerns about disturbances to public order and causing offense cannot be a reason to stymie freedom of protest.

The organization also argued that the refusal to grant a license for the protest was part of a “systematic and consistent” pattern of behavior by the police during the current war not to permit demonstrations that deviate from the broad consensus of public opinion.

During the court hearing today, the police agree to allow the demonstration to go ahead, but at a different location than originally planned and with a limit on the number of participants.

The protest will take place in Charles Clore Park with a limit of 700 protesters calling for a ceasefire and a “hostage exchange” agreement.