- Title: Israelis mount their own COVID "Freedom Convoy"
- Date: 14th February 2022
- Summary: NEAR JERUSALEM (FEBRUARY 14, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING ISRAELI "FREEDOM CONVOY" EN ROUTE TO JERUSALEM (MUTE) VARIOUS OF CONVOY DRIVING SEEN FROM BRIDGE PERSON IN CAR HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "ISRAELI CONVOY FOR FREEDOM" ISRAELI FLAG/PROTESTERS ON BRIDGE WAVING AT VEHICLES VARIOUS OF CONVOY, POLICE VEHICLES, TRUCKS HONKING SIGN ON TRUCK READING (Hebrew): "THE DIGNITY AND FREEDOM OF MAN" MAN POSTING STICKER ON CAR READING (Hebrew): "TO BE A FREE PEOPLE", REFERRING TO THE ISRAELI NATIONAL ANTHEM PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARBARA RAS, PROTESTER, SAYING: "I'm here today for the freedom and I saw what happened in Canada and you know it's even more than what we want to reach, it's all together, the vibe and the energy that is here. This should be a way to continue to live like this and in freedom." MAN SMOKING NEAR MOTORBIKE COVERED IN ISRAELI FLAG PROTESTERS ON MOTORBIKES (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONATHAN DEPORTO, PROTESTER, SAYING: "We all support Canada and support the truckers' convoy that went up to Ottawa and we do here the same (thing), we are all going to Jerusalem today to change this situation, it is not possible anymore for us to live as free as (we were) born." VARIOUS OF CONVOY DRIVING ON ROAD/AUDIO OF HORNS POLICEMEN ON MOTORBIKES FOLLOWING CONVOY CONVOY PROTESTERS ON BRIDGE WAVING AT CONVOY PROTESTER ON BRIDGE MAKING "V" SIGN AS VEHICLES DRIVE UNDERNEATH PERSON WAVING FROM CAR WINDOW/CONVOY JERUSALEM (FEBRUARY 14, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS DANCING NEAR ISRAELI PARLIAMENT, THE KNESSET
- Embargoed: 28th February 2022 14:00
- Keywords: Israel coronavirus freedom convoy oil prices restrictions trucks vaccines
- Location: NEAR JERUSALEM/JERUSALEM
- City: NEAR JERUSALEM/JERUSALEM
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Health/Medicine,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001FYND4QV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An Israeli "Freedom Convoy" drove along the main highway linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Monday (February 14), inspired by protests in Canada against coronavirus restrictions.
"Freedom doesn't look like this," read one sign, showing a picture of a girl in a mask, carried by activists who headed in dozens of vehicles to the parliament building in Jerusalem from a gathering point about mid-way between the two cities.
Other protesters stood on overpasses and at intersections on the highway as the cars, some flying Israeli and Canadian flags, drove by.
Outside parliament, protesters sounded horns and beat drums, and called for pandemic restrictions to be lifted.
"We all support Canada and support the truckers' convoy that went up to Ottawa and we do here the same, we are all going to Jerusalem today to change this situation, it is not possible anymore for us to live as free as (we were) born," said Jonathan Deporto, 39.
In recent weeks, Israel has rolled back requirements to show proof of vaccination at restaurants, movie theatres, gyms and hotels to coincide with a slowdown in daily infections from the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19.
But masks are still mandatory in public indoor spaces, including schools, shops and medical institutions.
In Canada, the "Freedom Convoy" protests were launched in the national capital Ottawa last month by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers.
(Production: Rami Amichai, Dedi Hayun, Amir Cohen, Rinat Harash) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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