Ein Matzav movement takes down Balfour protest tent after 9 months

The movement said it will now be turning its focus on raising voting rates before Tuesday's election.

Police evacuates anti-Netanyahu protesters from Balfour, August 20, 2020.  (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Police evacuates anti-Netanyahu protesters from Balfour, August 20, 2020.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The Ein Matzav protest movement on Sunday announced in a statement that the protest encampment they had erected 9 months ago in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence had "fulfilled it's historic role" and began taking it down after a joint decision was made by the movement's members.
"The dismantling of the encampment takes place out with the full understanding that it has fulfilled his historic role and even led to the election," a statement by the organization read. "Now, Ein Matzav is calling on all citizens who are asking for a change to go out on Tuesday and vote."
The encampment was set up last June and had since then been guarded 24/7 by Ein Matzav activists, who have faced harsh weather conditions, several assaults from Netanyahu supporters and repeated harassment from local authorities since its erection.
The movement was started by Brig. Gen. Amir Haskel, who was joined by protest leaders Ronit Erenfroind and Asaf Agmon after his violent arrest during a protest, along with hundreds of other activists.
The Balfour protests came to a head the night beforehand, with the Black Flags protest movement reporting that over 50,000 protesters had attended the weekly Saturday night protest.