This protest not only achieved the usual newspaper reports we were getting used to but it attracted National News coverage on the News hub that night. Having heard that the Pro Palestinians were preparing protests in eight different cities throughout New Zealand on this day, and understanding that Hastings was one of them, we decided that we must put up a good defence for Israel in our home city. Over a hundred people joined us at the Clock Tower—Hastings heart—overshadowing the counter protest by four to one. We had saved our city from the humiliation of an anti-Semitic rally by stifling it with huge Israeli flags flowing in the breeze. Those flags were dancing to the chants of “Live! Live! Israel!”
A valuable lesson was learned in this protest. Although we were the only pro-Israel rally that we were aware of taking place on this day, and our detractors rallying in eight different cities throughout New Zealand—a very vociferous one in Auckland, the fact that we stood up in Hastings meant that the coverage on the news that night was halved between the anti-Israel mob and us.
Hawkes Bay Today Report – Mon 18 Aug. 2014
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Handout given out at this rally:
Pics of the day:
