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Police charge pro-Israel activists over ‘provocative’ and ‘reckless’ behaviour

January 10, 2018 at 1:39 pm

Right-wing Israeli protesters hold flags [REUTERS/Ammar Awad]

Three pro-Israel activists have been charged by police in Vienna for waving the Israeli flag “in an extremely provocative way” at a protest against President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the Zionist state.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Austrian police are seeking a fine of €100 or two days in jail for the activists. Their alleged criminal behaviour took place during a rally on 8 December near the US Embassy in the Austrian capital.

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In the criminal notice, the police said that the activists “showed an Israeli flag at a rally in an extremely provocative way and manner that was visible for participants at the rally and thereby produced considerable offence and provocation among the Palestinian protestors.”

The three defendants had claimed that they were responding to provocations by pro-Palestine activists. However, the notice added that the pro-Israel activity was “especially reckless” and “disturbed the public order.”