Some 2,000 Arabs and Jews demonstrated in Kfar Kassem on Saturday, June 10, in solidarity with the Taha family, whose son, Muhammad, was shot dead on the night between Monday and Tuesday by a security guard during demonstrations against police inaction against criminal gangs running rampant in that city. Saturday’s demonstrators carried signs and shouted slogans condemning the violence and the conduct of the police: “We will not keep silent about crime!” “We are all against the criminals!” “The arrests [of our demonstrators and activists] will not deter us!” The demonstrators condemned the wave of murders in the city, which in the past two months has claimed the lives of six of its residents.

Saturday afternoon rally in Kfar Qassem (Photo: Uri Zackhem)

Mayor Adel Badir told those participating in the rally: “The criminals will not deter us. We will continue to fight against them until we see a change that can provide us with a quiet life. I say to the police, either you are fighting with us against the criminals, or admit that you are unable to take such measures.” Former Hadash MK, Mohammed Barakeh, head of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee which organized the demonstration, told those gathered: “The police are responsible for the civil terror that we are contending with in the Arab communities in Israel. The behavior of the police last Tuesday demonstrates that it is standing behind organized crime and against those who are fighting crime in Arab society. We call upon all those involved in criminal activity to put an end to such actions and return to the bosom of our society. If not, they will have to deal with the public’s anger.” Before the demonstration on Saturday, the Monitoring Committee convened and decided to following through and continue protesting against the police’s indifference to crime in the Arab community as well as police violence against the Arab public, including holding  a mass demonstration in Jerusalem.

Before the demonstration began, the Israeli police set up a roadblock at the entrance to Kafr Qassem. Police stopped cars carrying Jews and warned them of the “rioting” that would take place which, of course, did not happen. A number of Jewish activists reported to the Website “Local Conversation” that the police actually prevented them from entering the city and forced them to turn around so they would not be able to participate and demonstrate solidarity with the Arab community.

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Arab Public Holds General Strike after Kafr Qassem Shooting Death