Mass-protests for and against the government’s judicial overhaul across major cities descended into clashes with police who sought to clear roads and restore order Monday night, as the country still boiled after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his government would temporarily halt the legislative push that sparked the demonstrations.
The largest evening demonstrations took place in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with the former being the gathering site for tens of thousands of pro-overhaul demonstrators and the latter hosting a similar number of protesters opposed to the government’s effort to radically curb the High Court of Justice’s power.
Among the pro-overhaul protesters in Jerusalem were dozens of members of the extremist La Familia group, who were filmed attacking several Arab passers-by.
In one incident, police said an Arab taxi driver found himself surrounded by protesters who hurled objects at his vehicle and banged on his window. The driver tried to flee via a nearby gas station, but was then “savagely attacked by the rioters who chased him and caused heavy damage to his car,” police said in a statement, which said it had opened an investigation into the incident and made three arrests.
Another video from Jerusalem showed right-wing protesters, waving Israeli and Likud flags, blocking an Arab driver’s path and chanting, “may your village burn.”
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In another filmed incident, an Arab teen caught up in the right-wing protest can be seen being pulled away to safety by civilians and officers.
מפגיני הימין בשדרות בן צבי בירושלים תקפו באלימות צעיר ערבי, הוא חולץ בידי אזרחים ושוטרים | עדכונים שוטפים >>> https://t.co/6cYRR0SaP4@AkivaWeisz pic.twitter.com/C0KYG3b5a8
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 27, 2023
One man is heard telling protesters, “Leave him alone, what’s wrong with you?”
The right-wing protesters temporarily blocked the Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Ben Zvi roads near the entrance of Jerusalem, and footage from the Kan public broadcaster shows them setting a fire on the road and adding items to expand the flames. Chants of “Death to Arabs” can be heard in the background of the video.
Channel 13 said its team of reporters was beaten by the pro-overhaul demonstrators.
Police used riot dispersal measures to dispel protesters who refused to clear roads in Jerusalem, which was also where roughly 100,000 anti-overhaul demonstrators gathered earlier in the day outside the Knesset prior to Netanyahu’s announcement suspending the coalition’s legislative effort.
In Tel Aviv, police used stun grenades to dissuade anti-government protesters from breaching barriers to reach the Ayalon Highway.
Officers also deployed a pair of water cannons in, as anti-overhaul demonstrators breached barriers to make their way onto the road.
בצומת סמוך קבוצת צעירים שהפגינו בעד הרפורמה חסמו רכב ובו נהג ערבי, תוך שהם קוראים לעברו קריאות גנאי ושרים. מפגינים אחרים, גם הם תומכי הרפורמה, רצו לעזור לנהג והזעיקו את השוטרים, שפינו את הכביש ואפשרו לו לעבור@GLZRadio https://t.co/dedkjodK8x pic.twitter.com/R365WLtaM1
— נועה ברנס Noa Baranes (@noabaranes10) March 27, 2023
Police said they arrested 38 demonstrators throughout the day in the coastal city, largely for blocking roads and causing public disturbances. Most of them were released by the end of the night.
Dozens of officers donned horses in one of the many tactics used to disperse demonstrators. In one incident though, an officer lost control of his horse, which fell on top of a protester. Both the injured protester and another demonstrator struck by a stun grenade were evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Some in Tel Aviv accused police of using excessive force in dispersing the demonstrators, claiming much of the commotion only began once police moved in on the protesters.
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai told Channel 12 that officers would safeguard Israelis’ right to protest but would not allow for disturbances to public order and would act accordingly.
Police worked to separate participants from opposing demonstrations, but in several incidents in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, scuffles broke out.
נהג מונית ערבי הותקף בתחנת דלק על ידי מפגיני ימין בשדרות בן צבי בירושלים – ונמלט | עדכונים שוטפים >>> https://t.co/6cYRR0SaP4@SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/JSnvU694kH
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 27, 2023
As pro-judicial shakeup protesters arrived at Jerusalem’s Sacher Park, anti-overhaul protesters also marched by, with some sitting there to claim space.
Some young men yelled at the anti-overhaul protesters: “You’re whores, what kind of equality of rights are you talking about, leftist whores!… We’ll fuck you up,”
The pro-overhaul rally came as demonstrations against the legislation took place nationwide on Monday, a day after spontaneous mass protests broke out on Sunday night after Netanyahu announced he will fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for publicly calling to freeze the process.
נהג מונית ערבי הותקף בתחנת דלק על ידי מפגיני ימין בשדרות בן צבי בירושלים – ונמלט | עדכונים שוטפים >>> https://t.co/6cYRR0SaP4@SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/JSnvU694kH
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 27, 2023
Netanyahu made no mention of Gallant’s ousting when he announced the delay of the overhaul and it was not clear whether he intended to reverse the move.
The premier’s declaration was welcomed by opposition leader Yair Lapid and National Unity chief Benny Gantz.
Weekly mass protests have been held for nearly three months against the planned legislation, which critics say will politicize the court, remove key checks on governmental power and cause grievous harm to Israel’s democratic character. Proponents of the measures say they will rein in a judiciary that they argue has overstepped its bounds.