Occupy Tel Aviv Encampment, June 1 - the launch pad for the routine demonstrations on Saturday nights (8:30pm), is HaBimah Square, one of the nicest public spaces in Israel. From there the procession goes through Ibn Gabirol, a major avenue, which is all decorated for the ongoing Tel Aviv Gay Pride Week (a prosperous enterprise). Last night the demonstration ended at the Tel Aviv Museum square, another hallmark public space. Major avenues were closed to traffic. Media estimated the number of demonstrators in Tel Aviv at thousands.
Police were very cordial. After the demonstration, I ran into three cops in Aroma Cafe'. I asked them if they were paid any extra for the routine calls on Saturday nights. They were bitter, "forget it".
Some of the notable chants/songs/dances were:
1) "Taking from the poor, giving to the rich, what a corrupt government" - usually involves happy jumping/raving.
2) "The people demand social Justice", "Government, corporations - crime organization", "We are the majority, and we are out in the street", "come down from the balconies, the state is collapsing" - to the beat of marching drums.
3) "Never be afraid" (Reb Nahman hassidic song) - started by seating the demonstration, then, during the "kite" in the music, everybody gets up and starts dancing.
4) The people want freedom, equal justice for all - one of a series of chants in Arabic.
However, the unique development of the last few weeks is the distributed, spontaneous nature of the demonstrations. Beyond the above "central" demonstration, there were numerous events in various other sites. One that went on for a while were cars driving around major intersections, honking to the beat of common demonstration chants and waving social protest flags. It caused some traffic congestion.
The other notable feature is the increasingly jovial, party like nature of many of the demonstrations, which indicates a position of power.
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