Earlier tonight, around 100 anti-racism demonstrators gathered outside the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem. The event was organized by the Tag Meir coalition and the New Israel Fund in response to the upsurge in racism from some of Beitar’s supporters, culminating in an arson attack on the club’s office and museum.

Under the banner of ‘Jerusalem Tolerant Forever,’ a number of public figures gave speeches supporting the club and the municipality’s efforts to defeat the racists and give Beitar Jerusalem back to its tolerant majority. Speakers included former Knesset Speaker (and member of NIF’s International Council) Avraham Burg; broadcaster Zuheir Bahloul; Jerusalem Council Member Laura Wharton; and Knesset Member Micky Levi (Yesh Atid). Also present were the former player Itzik Zohar and and the former captain of Bnei Sakhnin (and member of NIF’s Kick Racism Out of the Stadium program) Abbas Suan.

Avraham Burg said, “Beitar and Jerusalem go together. There is no place for racism in sport. If we don’t do something now, they will ask us in 20 years why we arrived too late. Jerusalem is a city of many peoples, a city of tolerance.”

At the end of the event, the organizers distributed ‘Jerusalem Tolerant Forever’ balloons in Beitar’s colors for those present to distribute to the fans.

Here are photos from the event: