Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., August 14, 2007 Av 30, 5767 | | Israel Time: 19:34 (EST+7)
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Last update - 18:06 13/08/2007
Hamas forcibly breaks up Fatah rally in Gaza, confiscates cameras
By The Associated Press

Hamas security forces clubbed and slammed rifle butts into opponents taking part in a rare protest rally in the Gaza Strip on Monday, seizing the cameras of newsmen covering the event and raiding media offices to prevent news footage from getting out.

When Fatah and other allied groups announced plans to hold the rally Monday, Hamas banned all demonstrations and public gatherings that did not have special permission.

Buses carrying protesters to the Gaza City protest site were halted by Hamas officers who beat passengers, driving them away and confiscating Fatah flags.

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Nevertheless, about 300 protesters got past the cordon and demonstrated for 20 minutes, shouting "We want freedom... We want to raise our voice," before dispersing.

Hamas arrested several of the demonstrators and confiscated equipment from news photographers and cameramen seeking to cover the arrests, including an Associated Press stills camera. Hamas squads raided the Gaza offices of media organizations, seeking material from the rally. Staff at satellite broadcaster Al-Arabiya said the men seized a camera and videotape from their premises.

The Palestinian journalists' union called on members to observe a three-day boycott of any events organized by the Hamas force to protest its treatment of the media.

Saleh Nasser, of the small, leftist, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine was at the rally and condemned Hamas' response.

"Treating people in this way when they came to raise their voice in a peaceful demonstration is something that is condemned, rejected and cannot be accepted," he said. "We are astonished by the decision to ban demonstrations."

In June, Hamas routed forces loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement in Gaza, in five days of factional fighting. Hamas has tolerated no dissent since taking over the coastal strip.

Ehab al-Ghsain, spokesman of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza that is in charge of the Executive Force, said rally organizers must seek a permit 48 hours before a gathering "so we can prepare protection for participants."

"There is no decision to ban rallies by Fatah or others. Today's rally was stopped because organizers refused to seek permission," Ghsain said.

Jamil Mezher, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine that was to have participated with Fatah in the rally, urged Hamas to reconsider regulations he said would "hurt Palestinian democracy."

"What happened today was an ... attempt to suppress and terrorize people who have the right to hold peaceful demonstrations," Mezher said.
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  1.   The Executive Force of Hamas has called for demonstrators to get 12:48  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  2.   cia-paid agents, they must be crushed 12:52  |  Christian in Gaza 13/08/07
  3.   The thugs of Hamas are no different from Fatah thugs 13:00  |  El-Birawi 13/08/07
  4.   LOL, Law and Order in Gaza, Hamas style, Honor killings allowed 13:26  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/08/07
  5.   All paid by the Mossad and CIA 13:32  |  Indrajaya 13/08/07
  6.   GAZANS RISE UP INTIFADA AGAINST HAMAS IRAN FOREIGN OCCUPATION! 13:39  |  don 13/08/07
  7.   Yes for imposing law and order but not by using violence 13:56  |  modern Gazan 13/08/07
  8.   THIS..IS...GAZA! 14:00  |  j 13/08/07
  9.   Apparently there is still anti Hamas news coming out of Gaza 14:08  |  Natallie Durson 13/08/07
  10.   Hamas`s Gaza Utopia isn`t what is cracked up to be 14:10  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  11.   NATALIE 14:32  |  Brant 13/08/07
  12.   Palestinians think that Arafat was a hero ! 14:39  |  redmike 13/08/07
  13.   A BUNCH OF DAHLAN`S STUPID GUYS 14:40  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  14.   Modern Gazan & peace lovers 14:41  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  15.   The Mosad, it is so obvious, is behid the chanting. 15:09  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  16.   we want freedom in gaza 15:14  |  scanadu 13/08/07
  17.   #12 15:20  |  Yasir, Palestinian 13/08/07
  18.   Indra & Hannah`s normal idiocy 15:22  |  David Teich 13/08/07
  19.   hannah #15 15:23  |  scanadu 13/08/07
  20.   " Hamas guards, who beat occupants with clubs and rifle butts," 15:25  |  PETER SM 13/08/07
  21.   Totalitarianism in action and Lakshmi (second attempt) 15:25  |  Nik Miller 13/08/07
  22.   3.El Birawi & 9 Natalie,do look at my post 1,El Birawi,I do hope 15:31  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  23.   Idiots state: MOSSAD is responsible for everything everywhere!!!! 15:41  |  Vittorio 13/08/07
  24.   N DURSON Hamas cannot cover up everything 15:56  |  PETER SM 13/08/07
  25.   Scanadu, you are right, it is not so obvious, but I am 15:58  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  26.   Mossad 16:06  |  RightClick 13/08/07
  27.   Its obvious: Mossad and CIA behind this and... 16:09  |  Richard S 13/08/07
  28.   Free Speech - Hamas Style 16:15  |  Bill Foonman 13/08/07
  29.   Time To Bring Back Some Intelligence To The Talkbacks 16:18  |  Bill Foonman 13/08/07
  30.   richard s at #27 16:56  |  scanadu 13/08/07
  31.   21nik Miller,don`t know what democracy you live in! 16:56  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  32.   Gaza Freedom 16:58  |  Abu Yusuf 13/08/07
  33.   bill foonman at #29 17:00  |  scanadu 13/08/07
  34.   Richard S 17:08  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  35.   Arab democracy at work 17:11  |  Yonatan 13/08/07
  36.   #33 To scanadu 17:16  |  Bill Foonman 13/08/07
  37.   When will these senseless protests end? 17:20  |  Richard S 13/08/07
  38.   El-Birawi is 100% correct 17:26  |  Avi 13/08/07
  39.   Hamas showing its respect for democracy! 17:32  |  Akiva Patysh 13/08/07
  40.   Funny Durson 17:32  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  41.   Actually, the Mossad is behind 17:35  |  Yonatan 13/08/07
  42.   next come the police dogs and fire hoses, then the rubber bullets 18:05  |  frenz 13/08/07
  43.   This is Islamist Democracy Hanas`s style: forcibly breading up a 18:21  |  Anat 13/08/07
  44.   No peace in our time if Hamas is not crushed 18:27  |  Voice of Reason 13/08/07
  45.   Hamastan 18:55  |  Tim 13/08/07
  46.   I tried to respond (3-4 times) to posts like Indrajaya`s 19:00  |  S 13/08/07
  47.   Well, they learned form arafat 19:16  |  Chick 13/08/07
  48.   #9, "there is still anti Hamas news" 19:43  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/08/07
  49.   Bad, but not as bad as Israel 20:33  |  Kevin 13/08/07
  50.   This Is What I Would Do If I Were Abbas 20:49  |  Yosemite 13/08/07
  51.   Mossad? 20:56  |  Harry 13/08/07
  52.   Kevin the Israel Basher, do u know what u are talking about? 21:04  |  Massoud Levy 13/08/07
  53.   Aw Kevin 21:21  |  hannah 4 13/08/07
  54.   Passengers Beaten 21:36  |  Gina 13/08/07
  55.   #22lakshmi 21:50  |  Sarah 13/08/07
  56.   #53 Gina- When will you see hamas and fatah flags fly together? 22:03  |  Chick 13/08/07
  57.   hannah 4 22:14  |  Sarah 13/08/07
  58.   Lakshmi`s democracy # 1 - Is that why 22:26  |  ChanahS 13/08/07
  59.   Hannah # 15, it is so obvious 22:29  |  ChanahS 13/08/07
  60.   #49 Kevin NM 00:48  |  * BEN JABO 14/08/07
  61.   There`s nothing quite like the guys that 00:52  |  * BEN JABO 14/08/07
  62.   to 52, 53, 60, 61 04:57  |  Kevin 14/08/07
  63.   #62 Kevin - of course you`re wrong 18:54  |  * BEN JABO 14/08/07
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