PM Netanyahu, his wife and his son are under a string of criminal corruption investigations. His hand-picked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit does anything possible to undermine the investigations. Police and the Shin-Bet have been going out of their way in recent weeks to prevent protests. Here - a single person's protest, singing in the rain on Saturday night on the side-walk opposite the home of the Attorney General led to detention...
Freedom of Speech has become an everyday issue in Israel.
VIDEO: 2017-01-14 Arrested for singing in the rain - https://youtu.be/kpel5WU1MdM
BACKGROUND: Detained for singing in the street (no megaphone, no sound system, no drum), also a bit of dancing, at 8:00pm, alone, not part of any group, across from the home of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Was held for 5 hours, had my fingerprints, mug shots taken...
PREVIOUS INCIDENT AT SAME LOCATION: Police violence on Christmas Eve in Tel-Aviv. In recent weeks police tries to intimidate people from any protest against the Prime Minister or the Attorney General. A number of incidents have been recorded.
SONG: Patterned after the 60's classic protest song "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round". The Hebrew lyrics say:
Ain't gonna let no corrupt prosecutors stop us, we are going to vanquish the corruption!
Ain't gonna let no corrupt police stop us, we are going to vanquish the corruption!
Ain't gonna let no corrupt judges stop us, we are going to vanquish the corruption!
COSTUME: Please notice the blinking flags head-set! A true patriot!
OFFICIAL CAUSE FOR DETENTION: Interference with policeman performing his duty - for refusing to stop singing when told to do so.
THE DEAL: Police tried to offer again and again a "Deal" - released from detention for consent to a 2-week restraining order prohibiting coming close to the same location. Various levels officers to tried to offer this great deal. Alternatively - they threatened to extend the detention until the morning, have a judge issued the restraining order.
RELEASE: At 1:00am with no restraining order, after they gave up on the "deal".
LEGAL COUNSEL: Many thanks to Attorney Dror Haklay.
VIDEO DOCUMENTATION: Many thanks to Kfir Monsonego
