Palestinian activist gets his motorhome back, probe into sword and possible Hamas references underway

Omar Almaani, who now lives in Norway, has already travelled through Montenegro, Albania, Serbia and Greece, amongst other places, in his motorhome that draws attention to the plight of the people of Gaza. Last week, he came to Belgium to visit family and take a short holiday. But things went wrong on the Belgiëlei in Antwerp on Thursday night.

Antwerp police stopped him because he was alleged to have driven through the Jewish quarter in his motorhome, which bears the slogan ‘Free Palestine’, repeatedly.

Arrested and motorhome seized

According to the police, this constituted a provocation and a disturbance of public order. Almaani and his three cousins were taken into administrative custody and had to spend a night in a cell. The motorhome was seized.

Almaani, however, stated that he was simply following his sat-nav and did not realise he was driving through a Jewish neighbourhood. He was on his way from Antwerp city centre to Wilrijk, having first dropped off a cousin near Central Station.

“Political demonstration”

Almaani’s statement sounds innocent, but the city regards his journey through the Jewish neighbourhood as a political demonstration. “Anyone wishing to organise a political demonstration must submit an application. Those rules apply to everyone, both during the day and at night,” explains David Cleiren, spokesperson for Mayor Els van Doesburg (Flemish nationalist N-VA).

Almaani feared he would be without his motorhome for up to six months. It will not come to that: he will get his vehicle back as soon as he has paid the towing and administrative costs. After that, he must leave Antwerp immediately, daily Gazet van Antwerpen reports.

‘If he wishes to enter the city again with the vehicle bearing the stickers, he must apply for a demonstration permit. In any case, the vehicle is not permitted in the Jewish quarter for three months,’ said Cleiren.

According to the city authorities, the Palestinian activist could not yet be notified of the decision. He is said to have repeatedly refused to provide his contact details. The Norwegian embassy is therefore also being informed.

Almaani lives in Norway but has family in Gaza. He has been travelling through Europe in his motorhome for several months now to draw attention to the situation in Palestine. The vehicle displays, amongst other things, figures on the number of Palestinian casualties and injured in Gaza.

“With the help of my motorhome, I want to bring what appears in the news out onto the streets,” he told VRT NEWS earlier.

Investigation into sword and Hamas references underway

It emerged Wednesday evening that on the instructions of the public prosecutor’s office Antwerp police are now conducting an investigation into a sword and possible references to terrorist organisation Hamas that were found in the motorhome belonging to the Palestinian activist.

Whilst searching the vehicle, the police found a sword and, according to the police, there are also “possible references to the terrorist organisation Hamas”.

The police and the public prosecutor’s office are unwilling to disclose exactly what these references are. An official report has been drawn up and the public prosecutor’s office has asked the police to conduct a further investigation.