“PEACE AND JUSTICE” GROUP PROTESTS TENNIS PLAYER FROM ISRAEL IN NEW ZEALAND

Posted By on January 8th, 2010

More Pe’er protesters arrested in New Zealand

January 7, 2010

SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) — Five pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested in New Zealand outside the tennis complex where Israeli tennis star Shahar Pe’er was playing.

Among those arrested Thursday was the organizer of the protests, John Minto. It was the third consecutive day of demonstrations by members of Global Peace and Justice Auckland and Palestine Human Rights Campaign Auckland against Pe’er’s participation in the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Pe’er, 22, and ranked No. 30 in the world, won Thursday’s quarterfinal match against Russia’s Maria Kirilenko to advance to the tournament semifinals for the first time.

Play had to be suspended Wednesday as officials debated whether to continue the match due to the small but noisy demonstration outside the tennis complex. Police arrested one protester Wednesday and charged him with disorderly behavior, local media reported.

The protesters used a loudspeaker to chant “blood, blood on your hands,” “freedom for Palestine” and “go home, Shahar,” according to the New Zealand Herald.

“I also want peace in the world,” Pe’er said after the match Wednesday. “But I don’t think this is the place for this protest.”

Minto, who is calling for Pe’er to withdraw from the tournament as well as for a sports boycott against Israel, had told local media Wednesday that “There will be bigger and bigger protests here in Auckland protesting against her presence in representing Israel’s policies.”

Meanwhile, Pe’er will be allowed to play in this year’s Women’s Tennis Association tournament in Dubai following a furor last year when she was denied a visa because of “security concerns” cited by United Arab Emirates’ officials following Israel’s military operation in Gaza. The UAE’s Interior Ministry has written to the WTA Tour confirming Pe’er will be granted a visa, The Telegraph of London reported.

http://jta.org/news/article/2010/01/07/1010026/peer-protester-arrested-in-new-zealand

Categorized under: BOOKS.
Tagged with: no tags.

Comments are closed.