Anti-PA protests continue in West Bank after police violence

Protests in the occupied West Bank continued Monday against the Palestinian Authority, following the death in custody of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat.

After police violently suppressed a demonstration on Sunday evening, more Palestinians took to the street in the city of Ramallah, as journalists and human rights organisations urged Palestinians to call out the PA for alleged human rights abuses.

In Ramallah, another sit-in took place in front of the UN High Commissioner offices in the Al-Masyun neighbourhood.

On Sunday, protests were violently dispersed by PA security forces in Ramallah, who also tried to suppress media coverage of the demonstration by breaking journalists' cameras, according to Arabi21.

Media workers launched a hashtag in Arabic translating to "the coverage continues" in defiance of the PA’s perceived efforts to intimidate them into silence.

Naila Khalil, a reporter with The New Arab's Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, said Palestinian reporters had submitted a letter to the UN urging the world body "to take necessary and immediate measures" to protect media freedom

In Hebron, Palestinians held a sit-in in Ibn Rushd Square to protest the assassination, demanding that those involved be revealed and held accountable.

Palestinian security services also broke up a march in the occupied city of Bethlehem.

Protesters started their march at the Dheisheh refugee camp before heading to the main street leading to the presidential HQ chanting slogans against the PA's leadership.

On Thursday, Palestinians mourned Banat after the activist died in PA custody after security forces stormed his house on Thursday. His family has alleged he was badly beaten during the raid.

His funeral was held on Friday in the West Bank city of Hebron and was attended by a crowd chanting "your blood won’t be in vain" and demanding authorities investigate his death.