Four people were arrested and charged with public violence after tensions boiled over at the Sea Point promenade on Sunday when pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with supporters of a pro-Israeli event.
Pro-Israel supporters had planned to hold a “Prayer and Proclamation for Israel and South Africa” but the event seemingly did not proceed after thousands of pro-Palestine supporters gathered.
Posters of hostages from the pro-Israel protest were ripped up and lay on the floor after clashes between protesters.
There were also several altercations with police and law enforcement, before they used stun grenades and a water cannon saying protesters had disobeyed instruction by SAPS members to disperse.
“Four adult males were arrested and detained on charges of public violence. We can confirm that SAPS members are still static on the scene, fulfilling their mandate. Once charged they are expected to make a court appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on the mentioned charges,” said police spokesperson FC Van Wyk.
South African Zionist Federation Cape Council chairperson, David Cohen, said they had wanted to stand with their Christian Zionist friends to “pray for peace and the return of the 239 hostages” held by Hamas.
“The fact is that a democracy is judged on how well it protects the rights of all of its citizens, even those who do not share the opinions of the government. 50 000 people marched yesterday (Saturday) in Cape Town chanting slogans for Palestine. I can assure you, no one there was worried that it was going to be broken up by pro-Israel forces.
Why should intimidation be allowed in this country? We condemn the violence perpetrated today and call on all levels of government, from municipal to national, to join us in condemning the use of violence and intimidation to prevent the free gathering of people in this democracy,” said Cohen.
Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies executive director Daniel Bloch added that the rally was meant to be a call for peace, where songs would be sung and prayers offered but people weren’t able to get off the buses.
“What we’re seeing (is that) the violence in the Middle East has been brought to Cape Town by Hamas (supporters) to harass not just Christians but Jewish people,” he said.
BDS Coalition’s Usuf Chikt said: “The Zionist friends of Israel wanted to peddle genocide under the facade of a prayer and many Capetonians were reviled given Cabinet indicated it’s a genocide and the Minister (of International Relations and Co-operation, Naledi Pandor) has called for the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Capetonians took it upon themselves to oppose the peddling of such hate speech ... then wanting to display the Israeli flag, which is emblematic of the genocide taking place in Palestine today.”
On Saturday, the ANC in the Western Cape, MJC, Al Quds foundation, and PAC jointly organised a mass demonstration that saw around 150 000 people march from the Muir Street Mosque to the Western Cape legislature in support of a free Palestine.
Nkosi Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela said: “The Zionist state of Israel’s flag is deeply stained with the blood of Palestinians and Palestinian children in particular. It must not be allowed to fly anywhere in South Africa and whatever public space it is in, must be shut down. We call on the people of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, Africa and all over the globe to show up every day, every week, every month until the genocide stops and Palestine is free,” he said.
About 21 000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian rally in Brussels on Saturday, police said, many chanting slogans such as “free Palestine” and demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as they marched peacefully through the city.
Also on Saturday, more than 300 000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London, with police arresting over 120 people as they sought to stop far-right counter-protesters from ambushing the main rally.
French President Emmanuel Macron told the BBC in an interview published late on Friday that Israel must stop bombing Gaza and killing civilians, as there was “no justification” for the bombing and saying a ceasefire would benefit Israel.
Cape Times