Anti-Overhaul Activists Glue Themselves to Floor in Tel Aviv’s Government Offices

On Wednesday, about twenty anti-overhaul activists glued themselves to the floor in a building in Tel Aviv that houses a number of government offices.

This was in protest against the controversial overhaul that the government is planning in relation to the judicial system in Israel.

The statement

The group said in a statement that the country was moving towards a religious dictatorship due to which they had decided to take action.

The activists added that the latest government in Israel was the most homophobic, chauvinistic and racist one in its history.

They further said that the attempt of the government to eliminate the legal system’s independence was aimed at systematically crushing civil and human rights of the communities it does not represent.

These include women, the Palestinians, the secular and those who belong to the LGBTQ community. The activists also called on the members of the coalition to speak up against the overhaul.

They said that each day that the coalition members continue to serve the government means they are threatening the people. Therefore, they asked that they put a stop to the legislation process.

The activists also added that they would continue to take non-violent actions.

The tactic

Anti-overhaul protestors have previously used the tactic of glue for protest purposes when they tried to block government officials in their homes.

This methodology is also used all over the globe by climate change activists. The action came as the protestors were prepping for another day of disruption in Israel on Thursday.

This included blocking roads leading to the Ben Gurion Airport in order to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from taking a flight to Italy for an official visit.

It would not be the first time that this particular trip has faced hurdles, as previously El Al pilots had refused to fly the premier in protest of the overhaul.

The day of resistance

The protest on Thursday has been termed as a day of resistance that will see all traffic in Israel disrupted, including on land, sea and air.

The organizers said that protest convoys would set off throughout the day around the country, which include agricultural equipment and vehicles.

There will also be rallied held at various locations and evening will also see protests take place outside the home of coalition politicians and lawmakers, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin.

A major rally was also scheduled to start from the Habima Square in Tel Aviv. The organizers said that there would be ‘many surprises’ and that they had not revealed all the events planned.

According to critics, the judicial overhaul would weaken the democratic character of Israel and weaken its checks and balances because minorities would be left unprotected.

As for supporters, they claim that these reforms are needed for reining in an activist court. There had been a day of disruption in the previous week as well.

It included a rally in Tel Aviv in which a key junction had been blocked and the police had used aggressive measures against the protestors.