Israeli leftwingers rallied outside a Tel Aviv court on Tuesday before the "political" trial of MP Mohammed Barakeh, who leads the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, or Hadash.
From 2006-9 Mr Barakeh participated in hundreds of rallies against Israel's bloody 2006 assault on Lebanon and the illegal separation wall in the West Bank, at which the Israeli police or military tried to suppress the non-violent protests.
Mr Barakeh played a leading role in mediating with the police or the military on behalf of protesters and in some instances was subjected to violence from the police and the military.
His supporters alleged that the same officers submitted false complaints against him in a bid to justify their own wrongdoings.
Mr Barakeh was indicted in November 2009 for assault and interfering with a policeman in the line of duty.
The Adalah Arab legal rights centre insisted that the indictment was based on "false evidence" and "simply criminalises his legitimate political activities and attempts to harm his reputation."
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