32. Photo Essay - Police use violent Tactics to break up Gaza Protest
The recent Israeli military operation in Rafah in the Gaza strip has resulted in dozens of people killed, hundreds of homes demolished, and thousands of people rendered homeless. To protest the use of indiscriminate and lethal military force on civilians, Israelis, Palestinians and internationals traveled to the Kissufim crossing into Gaza May 21st.
Approximately 800 participants unloaded from their buses a few kilometers from the checkpoint. Waving black flags symbolizing the illegality of the Israel Defense Force´s “Operation Rainbow†that had been going on for days in the Rafah refugee camp, they marched towards “the Strip.â€
Finally arriving at Kissufim, the activists were allocated a spot where they could hold their demonstration and listen to testimonies from people inside the refugee camp, broadcast over loudspeakers. The peaceful demonstration then moved towards the crossing, protesters locking arm in arm. Understaffed and unable to control the situation, the police reverted to violent tactics, striking anyone near them and trying to separate the protesters from each other. The police finally were able to consolidate at the actual checkpoint. A standoff between activists and police ensued, with the latter´s water cannon menacingly surveying the scene. It never was used, however, as the demonstrators reluctantly retreated and left for home.
Staale Langoergen from Norway
EA, Israel Team
KissufimDemo10_ProtesterPleadshisCase_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
A demonstrator attempts to plead his case to an Israeli soldier.
KissufimDemo3_BulldozersOutofRafah_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Another international demonstrator calls on Israel to remove its bulldozers from Rafah. Hundreds of homes were demolished in the recent incursion.
KissufimDemo5_ProtestersGather_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Demonstrators gather at the Kissufim crossing into Gaza with their combined Israeli-Palestinian flags.
KissufimDemo12_PullingProtestersOut_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Israeli soldiers and police pull demonstrators away from the scene.
KissufimDemo8_Policeandmilitarymovein_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Police and military personnel grapple with protesters as the peaceful demonstration turns violent.
KissufimDemo11_PolicePileOn_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Police and military personnel overcome demonstrators trying to maintain their positions.
KissufimDemo9_Policeandmilitaryattack_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Police and military personnel physically confront the demonstrators.
KissufimDemo7_PoliceRushIn_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Police begin to move in to break up the demonstration.
KissufimDemo6_Breakprotestersapart_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
Police try to separate demonstrators, who locked arms as they marched towards the checkpoint into Gaza.
KissufimDemo4_Listeningtospeakers_SLangoergen_2004_05_21
The demonstration at the Kissufim crossing into Gaza begins with some speakers. Loudspeakers were hooked up so that the voices of people in Rafah could be heard.
