Palestinians Hurl Shoes 'At Trump's Face' as They Protest Symbol of Israeli Occupation
'We disrespect this president who does not see us as equal human beings with everyone,' organizers of Hebron protest say.
Dozens of Palestinians, including foreign activists, gathered on Friday to mark the 23rd anniversary of the closure of Shuhada Street in the West Bank city of Hebron. The protestors threw shoes at a poster bearing Trump's image, in protest against his policies, deemed to be anti-Palestinian.
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The road has often been a focus of friction between Hebron's Palestinian majority and the small group of Jewish settlers living in the town, and is sometimes called by Palestinians "Apartheid Street."
The street was closed by the IDF in 1994 after the Hebron mosque massacre by Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli settler who went on a rampage inside Al Ibrahimi Mosque, killing 29 Palestinian worshippers.
During the protest, participants hung up a poster of U.S. President Donald Trump and threw shoes at it while chanting slogans against the American leader.
Organizers said they were protesting against Trump because he did not see Palestinians as equals.
"Today, we are here to send a message to Trump administration, that we exist. We deserve full rights as everybody in the world. We disrespect this president who does not see us as equal human beings with everyone. Palestinians will not give up their rights. They will not give up their freedom. As Palestinians, we are working for justice, equality and self-determination. Today, he will get this shoes which was (were) made in Hebron. It is a Palestinian product, this is a Palestinian product, he will get it in his face, him and anybody supporting him," said Issa Amr, coordinator of Youth Against Settlements which organized the event.
One of the protesters, Munther Amireh, called for the street to be reopened.
"Years after the massacre of al-Ibrahimi mosque and the continuous closures on the city of Hebron, we came here to raise our voice to call for the opening of Shuhada street, Tal al-Rumieda, and to be with the residents of this area who refused to leave," he said.
The IDF fired tear gas and to break up the protest.