Democrats party leader Yair Golan said Saturday at a Jerusalem café that the gathering is a democratic, liberal demonstration, and that his camp has stopped giving up. 'We will fight for our ability and our children's ability to live here a free life,' he said, according to reports.
Democrats party leader Yair Golan, speaking this afternoon at a café in Jerusalem that has been the site of weekly Haredi protests over Shabbat operations, called the gathering a 'democratic, liberal demonstration' and vowed to fight for the ability to live a free life. The statement came as tensions at the cafe eased slightly, with police reporting that protesters were beginning to disperse after a sixth consecutive Saturday of demonstrations.
The protests at Cafe Basmeta have escalated over the past six weeks. Earlier today, at 11:20 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that police were pushing back Haredi protesters attempting to enter the cafe plaza, and that water and eggs were thrown from balconies. By 11:20, police had reinforced barriers and secular activists arrived in larger numbers. Golan himself was reported at the scene at 11:20, joining supporters. The pattern of confrontation has been consistent: Haredi demonstrators object to the cafe's operation on Shabbat, while secular and liberal counter-protesters defend the business.
The cafe has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over religious coercion and public space in Jerusalem. As The Zioneer reported on August 1, Golan previously stated that 'Jerusalem belongs to everyone' in response to an earlier protest. The demonstrations have drawn other political figures; Avigdor Liberman joined counter-protesters on the fifth Saturday, as The Zioneer reported on August 1.
The situation remains fluid. Police forces are still present at the scene as of the latest reports. It is not yet clear whether the protests will continue on subsequent Saturdays or whether any legal or municipal actions will follow.
10 developments
- DevelopingYair Golan: Jerusalem belongs to everyone, no group will dictate public space by force
- StrongYair Golan: 'Jerusalem belongs to everyone' after Haredi café protest
- DevelopingYair Golan unveils Democrats election platform, pledges to bar indicted officials from government
- StrongDemocrats leader Yair Golan wraps up undisclosed Abu Dhabi talks
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