Israelis staged their own Canada-style “Freedom Convoy” demonstration against coronavirus restrictions on Monday, with thousands of cars converging onto the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in the capital of Jerusalem.
Signs reading “cancel the mask mandate,” “no more restrictions, going back to normal,” “new world order,” were hung from cars while protesters on foot beat drums, chanted slogans and even blew shofars – or rams horns – in front of the Knesset building — all in a bid to call on the government to end the pandemic restrictions and remove Israel from a state of emergency.
In #Jerusalem #Israel outside Israel’s Knesset, citizens join #IsraelsFreedomConvoy to call for an immediate annulment to Israel’s state of emergency and to the recent “Enabling Act” which establishes the infrastructure for #COVID19 laws and which compromise basic human rights. pic.twitter.com/vEChlb78ja
— OshyEllman (@oshyellman1) February 14, 2022
“Freedom doesn’t look like this,” read one sign accompanied with an image of a girl in a mask.
“I’m here for my children, so that they can have a better world,” one of the protesters told the Haaretz daily.
“Rights are being taken away from citizens with no real justification, and we need to fight that.” But, she added, “We are no one’s enemies.”
Israeli vehicles take part in a Canada-style protest convoy against Covid regulations, in Jerusalem on February 14, 2022. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Israeli private car owners make their point in Jerusalem on February 14, 2022. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Heavy trucks and protesters converge on Jerusalem on February 14, 2022. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
“We are all gathered here for freedom. Because for two years already, all this world is going mad because of all the mandates and all the things that don’t let us live as free as we are born,” one protestor said to Reuters.
While Israel has removed many restrictions in recent weeks, including the Green Pass showing proof of vaccination at restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and hotels, Israelis are still required to show a Green Pass for large gatherings including weddings and masks are still mandatory indoors.
HAPPENING NOW IN ISRAEL: 30,000 vehicles and 40 convoys from 40 cities across Israel converge into one united Israeli Freedom Convoy in Jerusalem to protest the undemocratic #Covid restrictions. Inspired by the great #CanadianFreedomConvoy#IsraeliFreedomConvoy #FreedomConvoy pic.twitter.com/EriCLGPi16
— OshyEllman (@oshyellman1) February 14, 2022
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