Thursday, 01 October 2020_Israelis have taken to streets in Tel Aviv to express their anger at a controversial law that limits protests during the coronavirus-related lockdown, a measure widely believed to be aimed at taking advantage of the health crisis and heading off mass demonstrations against scandal-hit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Four protesters were arrested by police after the rally, which was held in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, descended into skirmishes.
Police claimed that the protest led to “grave civil unrest,” and that the four were taken into custody on suspicion of rioting and attacking police officers.
However, the detainees’ solicitor, Attorney Daniel dismissed police charges against the detainees as “unfounded.”
Police also said the protesters had “attacked the officers, throwing objects and breaking through the police cordon, intending to block the road.”
“I did not see any rioting. The protest ended on its own,” Alec Yefremov, a participant of the march, told The Jerusalem Post, adding, “They [the police] are obviously lying, as usual.”
The Netanyahu-backed legislation, which was approved early Wednesday after an all-night debate, will give the administration the power to ban people from holding demonstrations more than one kilometer (0.6 miles) from their homes, and limit outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 20 people.
The bill was ratified on second and third readings by a vote of 46-38.
Under the final version of the law, the Israeli cabinet can curtail protests, prayers and religious ceremonies for a week under the so-called “special coronavirus emergency,” with the possibility of extending it another two weeks should the “emergency” remain in place.
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