114 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 62 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H4'ed 4/24/14

Jerusalem: The Big Bongs Night - cannabis legalization demonstration


Joseph Zernik
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Joseph Zernik
Become a Fan
  (4 fans)
inproperinla.blogspot.co.il/2014/04/2014-04-20-jerusalem-big-bong-night.html
inproperinla.blogspot.co.il/2014/04/2014-04-20-jerusalem-big-bong-night.html
(Image by Public)
  Details   DMCA







OccupyTLV, April 20 - I have never been to a demonstration where everybody had a smile on their face. Starting on Saturday at midnight, people arrive with flowers in their hair, guitars, and bongs. The crowd was decidedly non-violent, numbering 1000-2000, all in a celebratory mood. Among the demonstrators were secular Jews, orthodox Jews, and even some Palestinians from East Jerusalem... 

Police was ready with armed military police, mounted police, militarized armored vehicle, and numerous plain-clothed policemen - ready to prevent a putsch. After all, the organizers had been detained a couple of days earlier on "sedition" charges. 
In most civilized societies "sedition" charges are reserved for incitement for violence in attempt to topple a lawful government... 

The event was originally scheduled for midnight till 4:00 am at the rose garden on the west side of the Knesset (parliament), where it would have bothered nobody. But police cordoned the whole area off. Therefore, the demonstrators gathered in the park on the east side of the Knesset. The demonstrators then to the northern entrance of the rose garden, next to the Supreme Court. 

There was chanting, dancing, music. 

From time to time plain-clothed police violently snatched a person who lit a bong. Mounted police repeatedly charged into the demonstrators, ineffectively trying to disperse them. 

By next morning, media reported that 10-30 demonstrators were detained.
Conduct of the Israel police was simply ridiculous. The attorney general guidelines are NOT to prosecute weed smokers. And the Israel police is notorious for its colossal failure in fighting organized crime and government corruption. Assassinations of crime figures in broad daylight in busy streets have become a routine. The former prime minster has recently been convicted for taking bribes, the former president is serving a prison term for sex crimes...  Judges were caught obstructing justice and falsifying court records, but were not prosecuted. 
The Jerusalem police itself is plagued with corruption as well.  The district commander was forced to resign under investigation of sex crimes, and a top officer was forced to resign under investigation of cover-up of the same.  
The Jerusalem police is also notorious for failing to prevent several events, which were described by Israeli media as lynching attempts by Jewish mobs against Palestinians. These events took place in the center of Jerusalem, minutes' walking distance from the central police station, in an area that is under constant surveillance by plain-clothed police and video cameras...
As part of the ongoing campaign for cannabis legalization, a protest guard is now sitting 24/7 in the center of Tel-Aviv, smoking in what they declared as "decriminalization zone". 
Whether cannabis is legalized or not is no longer material. The people refuse to comply with illegitimate, senseless intervention with their private lives. 
VIDEOS: 
[1] 2014-04-21 JERUSALEM: The Big Bong Night (with Israeli pop/rock music)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201736392671848&set=vb.1241700531&type=2&theater
[2] 2014-04-21 ISRAEL: Wake-up call for the Minister of Health by Cannabis Legalization activists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qSOUP7Rs0Nk
LINKS:
[1]  Thousands rally in Jerusalem for pot legalization
http://www.timesofisrael.com/pot-legalization-activists-demonstrate-in-jerusalem/
[2] 2014-04-21 Cannabis legalization Protest Guard sitting in Tel Aviv
http://inproperinla.blogspot.co.il/2014/04/2014-04-21-cannabis-legalization.html
[2] Ex-Jerusalem police head indicted for sexually assaulting colleagues
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.552365
[3] Israel Police: Hundreds watched attempt to lynch Palestinians in Jerusalem, did not interfere
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-police-hundreds-watched-attempt-to-lynch-palestinians-in-jerusalem-did-not-interfere-1.459293
____
Joseph Zernik, PhD
Human Rights Alert (NGO)
OccupyTLV
____
* The Human Rights Alert (NGO) submission to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations was incorporated into the 2010 Periodic Review Report regarding Human Rights in the United States, with the note: "corruption of the courts and the legal profession and discrimination by law enforcement in California". 
* The Human Rights Alert (NGO) submission to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations was incorporated into the 2013 Periodic Review Report regarding Human Rights in Israel, with the note: "lack of integrity of the electronic records of the Supreme Court, the district courts and the detainees courts in Is Israel".
Rate It | View Ratings

Joseph Zernik Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Dr Zernik's core research pertains to e-government and its significance for Human Rights and Civil Society.

His work won appreciation in Israel and abroad: * Prof Uzzi Ornan - "All power to you! I hope that you see your tremendous efforts (more...)
 
Related Topic(s): Jerusalem; Legalization Control Of Drugs, Add Tags
Add to My Group(s)
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

The Zadorov Affair: False murder conviction of a Ukrainian exposed massive corruption of the Israeli justice system

Explosive corruption of the Israeli justice system is cured by gag orders...

Robbing Argentina in the US court in Manhattan - fraud of medieval style and proportions

ARGENTINA: Again on the verge of economic collapse - again the victim of US treachery!

Death of Unit 8200 cybersecurity officer Tomer Eiges - a political assassination?

What part of the missile attacks on Tel Aviv is an Israeli hoax?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend