Demonstrators associated with the organization “Free Jerusalem” staged a provocative protest outside the Knesset on Thursday, lining the area near the iconic menorah with lifeless-looking effigies splattered in red to mimic blood. The action was meant to signal their opposition to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, the group said in a post on X.
“Independence celebrated on the blood of tens of thousands of people in is not independence,” the group stated.
The protest installation was accompanied by provocative placards bearing inflammatory messages, including “Celebrating 77 years of Jewish supremacy and ethnic cleansing” and “Isolate Israel! Stop the genocide.”
“Free Jerusalem” has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, denouncing what it describes as collective punishment of Palestinians. The group has condemned policies such as demolishing homes of terrorists and restricting humanitarian assistance to the Strip.
Members of the group have frequently drawn police attention, with several arrests on charges of incitement. Before the atrocities of October 7, they held regular protests in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, demanding an end to what they call the Israeli occupation and advocating to cut funding for the national police force.
Following the outbreak of the war, the group initially staged a silent protest backing a prisoner exchange deal. They later shifted their messaging to emphasize the need to “release the hostages.”
The organization has consistently rejected any military resolution to the conflict, maintaining, “Only a political vision can bring peace, equality, and justice to everyone between the river and the sea.”
{Matzav.com Israel}