The planned Tel Aviv City Council meeting to discuss the motion for a vote of no-confidence in Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai (Labor Party) was disrupted by social justice activists at 6:30pm on Monday, after hundreds of activists claimed they were not allowed inside, despite the auditorium being half empty. Those who were inside began shouting, and as a result, the meeting was abandoned. No new date has yet been set. The mayor reportedly had to exit through a back door and escorted by police due to the protests taking place outside.
The city council discussed a motion of no confidence in the mayor, proposed by Ir Lekulanu (“A City for All”) Councilmen Sharon Luzon and Yoav Goldring, both Hadash activists.
Tel Aviv’s mayor Ron Huldai (Labor Party) is escorted by police to his car, after a city council meeting was shout down by social activists, yesterday (June 25). The meeting was stooped shortly after it began, as activists were protesting against the mayor decision to prevent any kind of social justice protest in the city. (Photo: Activestills)
The stormy session of the city council was adjourned after attendees continuously disrupted the mayor and other speakers. Protesters voiced their anger at the fact that several hundred people were barred from entering, among them Ir Lekulanu leader, MK Dov Khenin (Hadash). After the meeting was adjourned, protesters made their way to the square outside to hold an impromptu rally. As Deputy Mayor Meital Lahavi (Meretz) made her way out of the hall, the crowd gathered around her shouting and demanding that she leave the coalition with Huldai’s One Tel Aviv faction. The crowd continued to hound Lahavi, shouting “Bibi’s collaborator!” as she made her way down the escalator, with at least one protester throwing water at her. The protesters shouted chants criticizing Mayor Huldai and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Following police brutality, Huldai hostility against social protest and African migrants and violent arrests against activists over the weekend, a variety of Israeli writers, artists and venues have announced that they will be boycotting Tel Aviv’s White Night events this Thursday night. “White Night” is an annual happening celebrating the city’s status as an international site of cultural heritage, bestowed by UNESCO in 2003 to mark the concentration of Bauhaus buildings that comprise what is known as the “White City.”
Since Sunday morning, a poster in Hebrew has been circulating on Facebook that calls on artists, gallery owners and cultural figures to boycott Thursday nights’ events, with the slogan: “This is not our White Night!” Another poster had the message: “Culture is not a fig-leaf for the regime.” Thus far, well-known Israeli authors such as Etgar Keret and Orly Castel-Bloom have announced the cancellation of a literary event they were scheduled to participate in on Thursday. According to Etgar Keret’s Facebook status: “Following the violence of the police against demonstrators for social justice, and many other violent acts over the last week, we have decided to cancel our participation in the White Nights events scheduled to take place this Thursday, under the sponsorship of the Tel Aviv municipality.”
At least five galleries have cancelled their participation as well as music venues like the Ozen Bar and Rothschild 12 – and the list keeps growing. A popular veteran Israeli band called “Giraffes” also announced cancellation of their planned performance. A Facebook page called “Black Night – The White List” has been created to provide updates on those participating in the boycott. In addition, a demonstration has been called for Thursday evening at 6pm.
Two alternative events are being organized Thursday night in south Tel Aviv – one in the Shapira neighborhood and one in the Neve Sha’anan neighborhood, both of which are impoverished, neglected neighborhoods that have been at the center of the recent racist riots.
