A request by the Greek Orthodox church has led to the cancellation of Lag Baomer fires in the 'Greek garden' on Mount Zion, despite the fact that the garden is in fact an open public place.
Boaz Cohen, a resident of the area, said that police and the municipality responded to the unusual request by the church and issued a directive preventing the fires from being lit at the site, instead of telling the church that the area is public property.
The municipality claimed in response that the land does not belong to the church but was registered in its name during the period when Teddy Kollek was mayor despite its being open public property. The church had requested that the fires not take place there due to vandalism and damage to the church by those 'camping' at the site.