image sourced from original article at Police raided the Umm al-Fahm offices of the youth wing of the Arab-majority Hadash party ahead of a May Day rally, confiscating a Palestinian flag, according to a report by Haaretz. Party officials said the officers did not identify themselves and it was unclear whether they had a search warrant.
Activists noted that such raids are not uncommon before protests. A lawmaker from Hadash-Ta'al, Ofer Cassif, appealed to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open an investigation, writing that entering a legal party's offices before a lawful march has a chilling effect on freedom of expression and association.
Senior Hadash official Yousef Jabareen blamed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, calling the raid a provocative act without legal basis. While displaying a Palestinian flag is not illegal, police have frequently confiscated them on the grounds that they may disturb public order.
