Protesters evacuated by Israeli police during a protest outside Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate, May 24, 2017 Image by Getty Images

By Nathan Guttman May 24, 2017

Several Jewish activists opposing the Israeli occupation of the West Bank were hurt on Wednesday in clashes with police and security guards in East Jerusalem.

The activists, members of IfNotNow, Free Jerusalem, and All That’s Left, joined Israeli groups trying to disrupt the planned “March of Flags” marking the 50th anniversary of what is seen by most Israelis as the unification of Jerusalem and by others as part of the occupation of Palestinian territory.

The protest started with activists from the U.S. and Israel spreading out in the Muslim Quarter and shopping at stores which were forced to shut down later while the “March of Flags” goes through. The activists then formed a human chain to block Israeli police and military from entering the Old City to secure the march. Several protestors, according to IfNotNow, were injured in altercations with Israeli forces.

An estimated 60,000 people took part in the march through Jerusalem.

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman

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