Mounted police were deployed in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, where at least four people were arrested and a further five were hospitalized with stab wounds, after violent clashes between left-wing protesters and various right-wing groups.
Roughly a thousand protesters gathered outside the home of Israel’s Minister of Internal Security Amir Ohana Tuesday night.
The demonstrations followed the publication of recordings in which Ohana appeared to call for Jerusalem district police commander, Superintendent Yaron Yedid, to crush ongoing protests outside embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence.
The protests have been held in recent weeks over the prime minister’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, his ongoing corruption scandal and the country’s tanking economy, spurred by increasing unemployment.
Eyewitness footage from Tel Aviv Tuesday night shows the chaos which ensued as right- and left-wing protesters clashed and engaged each other in street fights.
Sporadic brawls between police and protesters also broke out, and a journalist was struck in the head by a stone; the person responsible was arrested.
Five protesters required medical treatment for stab wounds, in attacks which were attributed to pro-Netanyahu activists.
A group of Beitar Jerusalem soccer hooligans, known as ‘La Familia,’ were blamed for some of the violence against left-wing protesters on Saturday and again on Tuesday night.
Various other alleged Netanyahu supporters reportedly hurled stones, bottles and pepper spray against hundreds of protesters.
“They must be caught and brought to justice, the protest will not be silenced as long as we are here,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz said.
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