Basel police block 'Death to Zionism' protest planned for 129th anniversary of Zionist Congress
The city where Theodor Herzl wrote "In Basel I founded the Jewish state" is set to see security preparations after police blocked a "Death to Zionism" protest.
Basel police have denied approval for a protest planned by an anti-Israel group called 'basel4palestine' for Saturday, citing concerns about calls for violence. The organizers of the protest, entitled "Death to Zionism," failed to submit a permit request, and the police determined that the event, as proposed, was not consistent with fundamental rights.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) had previously warned about the event. The planned protest was set to take place at Theaterplatz Square in Basel to mark the 129th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress, which opened on August 29, 1897. The protest was to feature slogans like "Free Palestine" and "Death to Zionism," along with an image of an Israeli tank with a red inverted triangle above it, a symbol associated with Hamas propaganda.
The police emphasized that while freedom of expression and freedom of assembly protect controversial political positions, they stop when violence is incited. They were preparing for any demonstrations on Saturday but declined to provide details about personnel and measures. The Jewish community in Basel must feel safe at all times, the police statement concluded.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
