Israel, Tel Aviv, Violence against the anarchists in the first of May rally 02/05/04

Stewards and members of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed" [learning and working youth - national/Zionist socialists youth movement associated with the Labor Party] attacked the anarchists and tried to prevent them from entering the rally. Today, there was a first of May event and a rally at the Tel Aviv museum square - organized by a joint first of May comity of the "Hashomer Hatsair", "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed", "Hadash" [the communist party front] "Tseirey Yahad" and others. Stewards and other members of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed" tried to prevent from joining the assembly a group of anarchists (which included activists from the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, the "Maavak Ehad" anarchist collective, and others). They attacked the anarchists and asked the police force on duty to keep them out. They announced that the entrance of the anarchist activists is forbidden.

The anarchist who arrived with black and redNblack flags and a flier with the heading of "The First Of May is Ours" told in advance they intend to distribute leaflets and carry their flags. At first, the police and the stewards of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed" prevented their entrance. Later, after the intervention of the lawyer Gabi Lasky, the general secretary of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed", and Tamar Gojanski - the ex-parliament member of Hadash, which headed the comity that organized the assembly, the entrance of the anarchists to the square was allowed.

After the anarchists enter, the stewards of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed" tried again and again to confiscate the fliers in spite of repeated talks with the general secretary of the "Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed".

At the end of the rally, when the other participants of the demo started to sing Israel's national/Zionist anthem, Ha'Tikva, the anarchists seat down on the ground and shout "Zionism is Racism!" (and joined the singing of the Internationale). Participants in the demo, all of them from the Hano'ar Ha'Oved Ve'Halomed, started to beat and kick the anarchists, and tried to break the camera that documented their violent actions.