Gantz to police: Allow protests outside my home, use discretion

Gantz's request comes in light of several protesters being detained outside his home in recent days, which led to public criticisms over the treatment of anti-government protesters.

NOVEMBER 4, 2020 20:33

ALTERNATE PRIME MINISTER Benny Gantz speaks to the media outside his home earlier this month. (photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90) — ALTERNATE PRIME MINISTER Benny Gantz speaks to the media outside his home earlier this month.

(photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz turned to Public Security Minister Amir Ohana on Wednesday to request that demonstrations be allowed to take place outside his private residence in Rosh Ha’ayin, Israeli media reported.

Gantz's request comes in light of several protesters being detained outside his home in recent days, which led to public criticism of the treatment of anti-government protesters.

10 people were detained outside of Ganzt's home on Monday and Tuesday, and were eventually released unconditionally, Haaretz reported. “This fact only strengthens our claim that these are false arrests and [that the police] have no authority to distance the protesters from the home of the alternative prime minister,” Gabi Lasky, one of the detainees’ lawyers, told Haaretz.

The police, in turn, have said that the detained protesters violated protesting conditions defined by police central district commander Maj.-Gen. (INP) Ami Eshed, according to limitations issued by Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit that allow quiet protests of up to five people at intersections positioned hundreds of meters away from public figures' residences.

But Gantz's private home is considered his private residence, according to the agreement reached between Blue and White and Likud that defined his status as alternate prime minister and granted him an equal status to that of the prime minister. According to that agreement, Ganzt's home will be considered his official residence until he assumes office as prime minister.

Gantz's addressed a letter to the Israel Police on Wednesday, requesting to allow the demonstration outside his home and to implement "discretion before making arrests or removing protesters from the vicinity."

Gantz explained his decision by mentioning in the letter that the right to protest is a basic democratic value and that public figures have the responsibility to set an example and to allow protests from taking place.

גם כעת נמצאים מוחים מול ביתי כמו בכל אחד מהימים האחרונים. חשוב לי לומר: מותר וראוי להפגין ואני לעולם אגן על זכותו של כל אדם להביע דעתו. פניתי לשר אוחנה ולמשטרה, כדי לאפשר למוחים להמשיך ולמחות, תוך הפעלת שיקול דעת מרחיב לפני כל מעצר או הרחקה. נלחמים בקורונה, שומרים על הדמוקרטיה.
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) November 4, 2020

"Even now, protesters are gathering in front of my home, as they have in recent days. It's important for me to say: You can and should protest and I will forever protect the right of any person to express their opinion," Gantz tweeted. "Fighting coronavirus, protecting democracy," he added.

N12 reported that dozens of protesters gathered nearby of Gantz's home on Wednesday evening but were stopped by police officers who prevented them from getting close to the area, which was defined by police as a sterile area.