I learned something very interesting as I watched the news last night. Usually, I watch the American news because my Hebrew is still deficient. Last night, however, a friend came over to see the Israeli Channel 2 News. I watched too, just to be social. And since I understand very little of what the reporters say, I paid close attention to the video images. What I saw happening between the police and settlers at Shirat Hayam in Gaza was a different story from what the reporter headlined as "violent protests" by settlers.
Was it a violent clash? Very mildly so. Were the settlers violent to the police, as the reporter claimed? Not according to the pictures; and I think it is safe to assume the newspeople showed the most violent clips they had. Yet, in every case, what I saw was non-violent protestors being attacked by the police.
For example, in one clip, a protestor stood in front of a policewoman. She tried to go around him, and he moved to stand in her way again, smiling. That is when she slapped his face, and he pushed her away from him. The escalation of confrontation was, according to the video, due to individual policemen and policewomen dealing with their frustration by an increase in force.
Obviously, we don?t want to descend to the level of five-year-olds, complaining, ?He started it!? My point is more related to the dynamic of protest itself. A protestor involved in civil disobedience is very frustrating to authorities. The law enforcement officers are accustomed to receiving cooperation from citizens. To be obstructed by people who will not yield to their authority and who are unimpressed by threats of consequences leaves them with few options for effective action. Coupled with this is the emotional frustration of being caught between loyalty to fellow Jews and Zionism, and the requirements of their service. In many cases, this emotional overload may result in physical abuse of protestors.
Given that we are going to see many more tense situations in the near future, what can we do to try to keep everyone within bounds? Watch carefully. As protestors for civil rights in the US have learned, just knowing that witnesses are present and committed to filing reports on abuse is enough to promote restraint.
I assume that most officers and police do not face off against protestors with the goal of inflicting injuries, so anything we can do to help strengthen their resolve to keep cool will serve all our interests.
Many others have advised protestors on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, most of which are common sense and good manners. Taunts and provoking gestures serve no purpose, while mutual respect and sympathy benefit all. That said, when tempers flare, the witness with a video camera is the best defense we can bring. When fear of Heaven isn?t sufficient, fear of the courts helps, and police and soldiers who know their actions are being irrefutably documented will work harder to control themselves.
Responsible officers and protest leaders who see one of their men or women getting close to losing it under the eye of the camera will be quick to move that person to the rear. Therefore, a crowd full of video or digital cameras is far more protected than one without them, and the more obvious we make our recording, including getting ID information on everyone present, the safer we all will be.
So, bring a camera, and if, for some reason, you cannot be there, then loan your camera to someone who will be. And watch the news ? carefully.
Was it a violent clash? Very mildly so. Were the settlers violent to the police, as the reporter claimed? Not according to the pictures; and I think it is safe to assume the newspeople showed the most violent clips they had. Yet, in every case, what I saw was non-violent protestors being attacked by the police.
For example, in one clip, a protestor stood in front of a policewoman. She tried to go around him, and he moved to stand in her way again, smiling. That is when she slapped his face, and he pushed her away from him. The escalation of confrontation was, according to the video, due to individual policemen and policewomen dealing with their frustration by an increase in force.
Obviously, we don?t want to descend to the level of five-year-olds, complaining, ?He started it!? My point is more related to the dynamic of protest itself. A protestor involved in civil disobedience is very frustrating to authorities. The law enforcement officers are accustomed to receiving cooperation from citizens. To be obstructed by people who will not yield to their authority and who are unimpressed by threats of consequences leaves them with few options for effective action. Coupled with this is the emotional frustration of being caught between loyalty to fellow Jews and Zionism, and the requirements of their service. In many cases, this emotional overload may result in physical abuse of protestors.
Given that we are going to see many more tense situations in the near future, what can we do to try to keep everyone within bounds? Watch carefully. As protestors for civil rights in the US have learned, just knowing that witnesses are present and committed to filing reports on abuse is enough to promote restraint.
I assume that most officers and police do not face off against protestors with the goal of inflicting injuries, so anything we can do to help strengthen their resolve to keep cool will serve all our interests.
Many others have advised protestors on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, most of which are common sense and good manners. Taunts and provoking gestures serve no purpose, while mutual respect and sympathy benefit all. That said, when tempers flare, the witness with a video camera is the best defense we can bring. When fear of Heaven isn?t sufficient, fear of the courts helps, and police and soldiers who know their actions are being irrefutably documented will work harder to control themselves.
Responsible officers and protest leaders who see one of their men or women getting close to losing it under the eye of the camera will be quick to move that person to the rear. Therefore, a crowd full of video or digital cameras is far more protected than one without them, and the more obvious we make our recording, including getting ID information on everyone present, the safer we all will be.
So, bring a camera, and if, for some reason, you cannot be there, then loan your camera to someone who will be. And watch the news ? carefully.