***image2***In their latest illegal attempt to stifle protest, Occupation forces used a water cannon spraying a blue liquid at the weekly protest against the Wall at Bilâin on Friday. The white tank started spraying protesters with jets of the blue liquid on the edge of the village despite an Occupation Supreme Court ruling that protests were âallowedâ on the village side of the Wall.
Demonstrators reported burning and irritation of the skin well after being sprayed in addition to having their hair and clothes dyed blue. The occupiers employed their usual range of tear gas, sound grenades and rubber bullets as the protesters were retreating.
This anti-Wall protest followed the brutality of the Occupying forces the previous Friday, in which one protester was left brain-damaged and another with a contusion in the brain after being shot at close range. The message carried by protesters this Friday was âYou Cannot Break Our Spiritâ.
A representative of the national & Islamic forces gave a speech at the beginning of the demonstration encouraging Bilâin and their supporters to continue struggling together despite the many forces that want the struggle to fail. The massive presence of Occupying forces sent a clear message that the Zionist regime will not tolerate protests, even those that have been approved by its own highest court.
Meanwhile in Al Khadr village west of Bethlehem, villagers held their tenth consecutive demonstration against the construction of the Apartheid Wall which will annex over 20,000 dunums of their agricultural land.
Children, flew kites with messages of justice and resistance near the construction site of the Wall. The flying of kites during periods of curfew has become a powerful symbol of resistance to the Occupation.
As in Bilâin the heavy presence of Occupying forces clearly had the intention of repressing the protest with violence. Out of concern for the safety of the large number of children villagers called an early end to the demo, vowing to carry on their resistance struggle next week.
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