Israel’s Supreme Court will allow two right-wing activists to lead a march through an Israeli Arab city.
The court on Wednesday accepted the petition of Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, who had appealed to the court after police rejected their request for a permit to march in Umm al-Fahm. Several public officials, including the city’s mayor, warned the march would legitimize racism.
The decision was welcomed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which noted that while the march posed a dilemma and could deepen the anger and humiliation of Israel’s Arab minority, it nevertheless must be permitted in a free society.
“Without any clear indication that demonstrators would incite to racism or commit acts of violence, the demonstration must be allowed to take place, and both demonstrators and the residents of Umm al-Fahm should be appropriately protected,” the group said.
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