Confiscation of Palestine flag in Western Cape legislature brings sitting to an abrupt end
|Published
Before the confiscation happened, and during a 30-minute adjournment several minutes prior, members of the public gallery waved their Palestine flags. File picture: Ross Jansen/Independent Newspapers Archive
Cape Town - A sitting of the Western Cape legislature on Thursday where Premier Alan Winde was expected to answer questions over the province’s trade relations with Israel, came to an abrupt end when the Palestine flag of a member seated in the public gallery was confiscated by an official.
The confiscation happened just moments before EFF MPL Moses Klaas was to ask Winde whether the Western Cape government had planned to end trade ties with Israel.
Before the confiscation happened, and during a 30-minute adjournment several minutes prior, members of the public gallery waved their Palestine flags and chanted “Free Palestine”.
As proceedings got underway following the adjournment, an official of the legislature was seen by MPLs, confiscating the flag.
Leader of the opposition in the legislature, Cameron Dugmore, said it was not the first time that those who supported Palestine came under attack in the legislature.
Addressing Speaker Daylin Mitchell, Dugmore said: “It’s important that as a Speaker in charge of this House, that you get a report before this House as to the conduct of the staff member of this legislature and any other member because there is a serious allegation now that an item of property of one of our guests has been removed.
“ This conduct, fascism and anti-Palestine (views) do not only extend to others. There is a member of the DA who actually belittled a staff member and questioned why the person was wearing a scarf. That is a reflection of the bias, pro-apartheid Israel stance that the DA has deeply embedded in their DNA.”
DA MPL Ivan Meyer called out the flag holder’s “behaviour”, saying it had to be addressed by Mitchell.
Without elaborating on the alleged transgression of the person in the public gallery, Meyer asked Mitchell to make a ruling on the conduct of members of the gallery, to which opposition parties asked what the person did, and Meyer did not answer.
“It is clear to me that the rules of this house are not being respected by certain members in the gallery and therefore ask that we respect the rules of the house in respect of both sides, and also on the side of members in the gallery.”
ANC MPL Lulama Lennox Mvimbi said no one transgressed the rules that the public may not take part in any disturbance of the House.
Mitchell adjourned the sitting, and said written replies would be made available.