Freedom Rides

Are the Freedom Rides a detour for the struggle?

Last week, six courageous Palestinians attempted to defy racism, segregation and apartheid by boarding Jewish settler-only buses in the hopes of reaching Jerusalem, a city off limits to Palestinians in the West Bank. However, the symbolic, media-friendly act — and its debatable relevance to the average Palestinian — begs some important questions. 

New video shows Israeli forces dragging Palestinian Freedom Riders from settler bus

“It’s just because I’m Palestinian” shouts a young woman toward the Israeli soldiers dragging her from a bus that serves Israel’s settler population and travels its segregated roads. Video shot by Anne Paq with the ActiveStills collective shows activists boarding the bus and Israeli forces asking them in broken Arabic for their travel permits. The soldiers then drag the activists from their seats.