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Israeli Restaurant Smashes Plates to Protest Second COVID-19 Lockdown

The owner and employees of a restaurant in Bat Yam, Israel, smashed plates on September 15 to protest a new, three-week lockdown by the Israeli government amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

Footage uploaded by restaurant owner Oleg Bartov shows him smashing plates outside his bar. According to Google Translate, Bartov wrote: “As a sign of solidarity, Bartov Restaurant also joins the protest of Strong Restaurateurs Together and shakes on the stupid decision not to allow takeaway.”

Local news reported the Association of Strong Restaurateurs Together organized the demonstration in an attempt to prevent further economic damage to restaurants due to COVID-19 restrictions. According to Google Translate, they posted about their protest on Facebook, writing their goal was to “prevent the second quarantine” by “breaking plates at the same time in thousands of restaurants across the country” and documenting it on social media.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government approved the three-week lockdown, which is set to begin Friday, September 18 ahead of the Jewish High Holidays.

As of the evening of September 17, Israel has reported 46,081 active COVID-19 cases and 1,165 deaths. Credit: Oleg Bartov via Storyful