Sapir College rally relocated for fear of rocket fire
National Students' Union plans to hold mass rally in support of Sderot, rocket-ridden area nearly foiled; police, Home Front Command voice security concerns, move gathering indoors
The National Students' Union's plan to hold a solidarity rally with Sderot and the Gaza vicinity communities nearly fell through Thursday, after the rocket salvo which hit the area Wednesday prompted the Home Front Command to recommend the event be cancelled for security reasons.
The rally was originally supposed to take place in Jerusalem, with students from all over Israel taking part in it; but the dealy attack on the capital's Mercaz Harav yeshiva and the high state of alert which followed, had police recommend the event be held at a deferent venue.
The National Students' Union than decided to hold the rally at the Sapir College plaza, but the Home Front Command was less than enthused, fearing another Qassam strike in the area.
Sapir College lost one of its own – 47-year-old Roni Yechiah – when rockets hit the college compound in late February.
The NSU rally was meant to be a protest against the security situation in Sderot. The students demand the government fortify all homes, public venues, schools and senior-citizen centers immediately, as well as provide the necessary funding to keep the area from crumbling financially and order tax breaks and compensation be made available.
David Brenen, head of the Sapir Students' Union, told Ynet that the rally "is one of the most important ones we've ever held, because this college is one of the western Negev's biggest financial and social staples."
The rally, it was finally decided, will be held indoors, in one the college's auditoriums.
