Thousands marched in protest in Tel Aviv and Haifa on Thursday evening, August 27, calling on far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign. In both of the simultaneous demonstrations protesters blocked roads and large traffic jams resulted in the two cities.
Young communists are among the hundreds who blocked Begin Road in Tel Aviv, Thursday evening, August 27. The Hadash placard held aloft in the center of the picture reads: “Salaried workers, independents and unemployed together against the government.” The Hebrew-Arabic signs read “Bibi / Netanyahu is good for the rich.” (Photo: Young Communist League)
The protest in Tel Aviv began in the city’s Rabin Square before spilling over into the adjacent Ibn Gabirol Street. Demonstrators then marched to the Kiryat HaMemshala, Israel’s governmental precinct on Menachem Begin Road, blocking traffic in both directions. Just south of the government complex, protesters also tried to block the Azrieli junction, but police prevented them from doing so.
“We’re in debt, we’re taking to the streets,” is the slogan that was selected for Thursday’s Tel Aviv protests which were organized by the same organizations that have been arranging the protests in front of the prime minister’s official residence on Balfour street in Jerusalem during the last two and a half months. These include the Black Flag movement, Crime Minister, Ein Matzav (“No Way”) and Hadash activists.
In Haifa, the demonstration commenced in the Merkaz HaCarmel neighborhood, from where protesters marched down Moriah Boulevard towards the nearby Karmeliya neighborhood, blocking traffic in both directions.
Police are preparing for a far larger protest outside the prime minister’s official residence in Jerusalem tomorrow, Saturday night at 8.30 pm, for the 11th consecutive week. The demonstration is expected to include a march from the Chords Bridge, located at the western entrance to the city to Paris Square, near the prime minister’s residence on Balfour Street. Police have not officially authorized such a march, and during last week’s protest they attempted to forcefully break up a similar march.
Despite Supreme Court petitions against Jerusalem’s police Chief Superintendent Niso Guetta who was videoed last week shoving and smacking a protester at the Saturday night anti-Netanyahu rally, Shlomi Bachar, head of operations for the Jerusalem police, told reporters Thursday that Guetta would be dispatched to this Saturday’s demonstration as well. Pictures captured by a wire service photographer showed Guetta kneeling on a supine protester lying on Balfour Street while pushing the latter’s head to the ground with his elbow. Earlier Thursday, the anti-Netanyahu Crime Minister grassroots group filed a petition to the Supreme Court demanding it force police to explain why Guetta had not been suspended for his conduct a week ago while the investigation into his actions is still ongoing.
Protesters have been holding regular rallies outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem since the first half of June, as well as in Tel Aviv and other locales around the country, calling on the premier to resign because of his indictment on corruption charges for which he is currently on trial.
Related:
