Police, protesters clash in Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate

Demonstrators gathered at the plaza outside the gate to as part of Nakba Day protests.

By UDI SHAHAM
Updated: MAY 16, 2018 01:49
DATE IMPORTED: May 14, 2018 An Israeli police officer argues with a Palestinian woman outside Jerusalem's Old City's Damascus Gate, May 13, 2018. (photo credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
DATE IMPORTED: May 14, 2018 An Israeli police officer argues with a Palestinian woman outside Jerusalem's Old City's Damascus Gate, May 13, 2018.
(photo credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
Israel Police and Border Police forces clashed on Tuesday with protesters at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Demonstrators gathered at the plaza outside the gate as part of Nakba Day protests.
After a group of elderly women started to chant slogans – “Jerusalem is ours” and “al-Aksa is ours” – Border Police officers started to forcefully remove the women from the plaza and disperse about 150 other people near the gate.

Police then blocked the entrance to the gate and directed people to the adjacent Flowers Gate (Bab al-Zahra).
Police detained several people at the scene, but no arrests were made, they said.

Local resident Mohammad Tawil, 20, said the protesters intended to sit on the plaza’s famous steps and chant slogans in a peaceful demonstration.
“We wanted to deliver a message to the world that we are against [US President Donald] Trump’s actions [moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem] and against the actions in Gaza,” he said.
Meanwhile, east Jerusalemites carried out a commercial strike on Tuesday. They kept their shops closed as an act of solidarity with the residents of Gaza and as part of Nakba Day. Schools were closed as part of the general strike.

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No further incidents were reported in east Jerusalem, one day after the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.


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