Haymanut Kasau’s family petitions court to allow protest tent near PMO

The family of Haymanut Kasau, a nine-year-old who disappeared from a Tzfat absorption center on February 25, 2024, has petitioned the Jerusalem District Court to allow a protest tent near the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from September 23 to October 22, 2026. Supported by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the family seeks to raise awareness and demand increased efforts to locate her. The Jerusalem Municipality repeatedly rejected their requests for a protest tent, citing general concerns about sanitation, safety, accessibility, and public interference. ACRI attorneys Oded Feller and Eden Gilad argue that the municipality's decision relies on broad policy rather than specific danger, stating, "The Jerusalem Municipality cannot restrict this solely due to general concerns and sweeping policy." They contend that freedom of protest is a constitutional right, and the municipality failed to balance public interests with the family's right to protest near government institutions.