Hundreds of Palestinians protest against Palestinian Authority police brutality in Ramallah

Palestinians demonstrate in the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah against the brutality of Palestinian Authority security forces on March 13, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Hundreds of Palestinians have staged a protest against “police brutality” in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah days after Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces launched a crackdown on a demonstration.

The protesters chanted slogans condemning police practices during the rally on Monday, and called for the officers who assaulted protesters and journalists during Sunday’s demonstration to be held accountable.

The march was organized by activists who called via Facebook for a protest against “the behavior of PA security forces.”

On Sunday, PA police forces attacked the protesters who had gathered in front of the Ramallah magistrate’s court to condemn the trial of five Palestinian activists, four of whom are held in Israel’s prisons and the fifth one, Basel al-Araj, was killed last week by Israeli forces.

Israeli forces shot and killed Araj during a raid on his home. Tel Aviv’s military accused him of planning attacks against Israelis. 

The five face charges of possessing weapons and planning an attack on Israeli military forces.

Palestinians demonstrate in the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah against the brutality of Palestinian Authority security forces on March 13, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Palestinians condemn the trial as a sign of the PA’s security coordination with the Israeli regime.

In an attempt to calm the anger, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah said Monday that he had appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate the “events that took place near the court compound.”

However, PA security forces spokesman Adnan al-Dmeiri blamed the violence on “mercenaries” and “foreign agents,” saying those behind the violence were after creating an internal Palestinian strife.