Social justice activists hold alternative celebration in protest of White Night organized by municipality against mayor’s policies, police violence. 700 protest activists marched Thursday night from Tel Aviv’s Habima Square to the southern neighborhood of Shapira.

The procession, dubbed “Black Night,” was held parallel to the “White Night” cultural event organized by the municipality. The organizers said they are protesting against the municipality’s policy prohibiting them from erecting protest tents and against what they referred to as excessive police violence against protesters.  According to the Facebook page Black Night which compiled the names of artists agreeing to boycott “White Night” events, the list of those who don’t take part in the festivities is long. “Cultural events are important, but we can’t have (Tel Aviv Mayor) Ron Huldai run the city just for rich people. We will not be shoved into the corner and it is our right to protest anywhere we want,” said Alon-Lee Green, one of the organizers.

Israeli activists protest against the “White Night” events organized by the Tel Aviv municipality, center Tel Aviv, June 28, 2012 (Photo: Activestills)

Protesters held signs reading: “Get rid of Huldai,” and “We don’t want a bully municipality.” Stav Shaffir, one of the leaders of last year’s social protest, said the demonstrators are protesting “against Huldai as a symbol of any mayor that represents the authorities and tried to prevent the continuation of the protest.” Yehuda Alush, a social activist from Beersheba, said he came to Tel Aviv in order to show his solidarity. “We want to highlight the black culture, the music and the atmosphere in these neighborhoods, which also deserve to be celebrated.” “The municipality despises this culture and we are standing near the stage – which is the symbol of alienation. Millions have been invested in it, and there are no black people on it,” said Alush.

Meanwhile, all events scheduled to take place in the Shapira neighborhood as part of the “Black Night” events were postponed. Instead, the activists decided to hold a communal picnic without a sound system.  Police refused to permit the party they were planning, which they took as proof of their point. The organizers decided to turn the party into a community picnic and wrote in its Facebook page: “We decided the situation in the neighborhood was tense enough without confrontation and arrests.”