The following announcement was released by the Aguda on May 24. You can reach the Aguda at sppr@netvision.net.il.

Wigstock '98, Israel's annual drag festival and AIDS fund-raiser, organized by Bela Do'eget, the AIDS project of the Aguda -- The Association of Gay Men, Lesbians, and Bisexuals in Israel -- ended last night with a demonstration which resulted in the blockage of two main streets in Tel-Aviv for over two hours.

2,000 of the estimated 10,000 in attendance stormed out of Independence Park, the site of the event, and blocked the junction of HaYarkon and Jabotinsky Streets, and then marched to Rabin Square, protesting the decision by the local police to end the evening prematurely, in accordance with the observance of the Jewish Sabbath. The Tel-Aviv Municipality had previously agreed to allow Wigstock to continue until 20:00.

Initially, Wigstock organizers asked the police to allow the event to continue until 20:00 as had been planned and advertised nationally. After the police refused, the public began to protest and streamed out of the park to block the streets.

During the protest four participants, including Saar Netanel, chairperson of Ha'Asiron Ha'Acher, the Hebrew University GLBT student union, were arrested but later released at 2:30am after the Aguda leadership interceded on their behalf.

The Executive Board of the Aguda (Association of Lesbians, Gay Men and Bisexuals in Israel) held an emergency meeting the following morning (Saturday, May 23) to discuss the significance of the spontaneous emotional explosion of thousands of community members in response to this act of orthodox religious oppression. In spite of the fact that the demonstration was illegal, the Board takes great pride that, after 50 years of oppression and silence, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV+ members of the community openly participated in the first unified protest of its kind in Israel.

The Board hopes that this demonstration will make it clear to those in Israel who threaten freedom of culture, belief and love, that we will not surrender to those who try to enforce prohibitions contrary to our values.

The Board has decided to move the Israel Gay Pride '98 events (details to be published soon) from Meir Park to Independence Park in Tel-Aviv. We call upon the general public to join us on June 26 for a festival celebrating both unity and diversity, as well as pride, for all those opposing the orthodox religious attempt to control our lives.

For more details please contact the Aguda by e-mail.
 

The above announcement, and related stories from the Israeli press, can be found on the web site of The Other 10%, The Gay and Lesbian Student Union of the Hebrew University, http://www.poboxes.com/asiron.

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