Protesters louder, more energetic, but not always distanced

The protest in Jerusalem is louder and more energetic than demonstrations have been for several weeks.

Thousands of people are gathered in the square, chanting against the prime minister amid persistent urging from the police to keep distance from each other.

Demonstrators are spread out in Paris Square and some 150 additional meters down King George St. Still, many tight clusters of protesters can be observed in apparent violation of the regulations.

When police move into the crowd to detain a demonstrator for unclear reasons, a line of demonstrators begins pushing at the police officers as they attempt to pull them behind a police barricade.

Amnon Dafni-Meron, a medical student at Hebrew University, says there are some benefits to the new rules.

“It’s actually nicer to protest this way, with your own space,” Dafni-Meron says.

But he says that he believes the restrictions on the Balfour demonstrations — and the lockdown — are transparently political.

“The prime minister isn’t thinking about stopping the pandemic or helping out businesses. He’s trying to stop the protests next to his house,” Dafni-Meron says. “People aren’t coming despite the restrictions. They’re coming because of them.”

— Aaron Boxerman