Jerusalem rocked by confrontations between police, protesters
50 people have been arrested during the Jerusalem protests.
By TOBIAS SIEGALBlack flags protestors demonstrate outside the Prime Minister's Residence, Balfour Street, Jerusalem ,July 14 2020(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Balfour street in Jerusalem on Tuesday to protest against corruption and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's continued governance.After several hours of protest, police forces moved on several rioters and opened up the roads in the area. During the riots, 50 suspects were arrested for alleged property damage, disruption of public order and attacking police and media personnel, according to the Police's Spokesperson's Office. Police added that while they continue to allow freedom of expression and protests to the public, they will not allow anyone to hurt civilians, police officers or media personnel or damage public property, and will act against those who violate these rules. Police used force to clear protesters in Jerusalem's Paris Square, after they caused property damage, set trash cans on fire and were said to have thrown objects at the officers, during which time 19 arrests were made, according to police reports.Prior to that, some of the protesters had begun marching towards central Jerusalem and blocked the path of the light rail, with police redirecting traffic in the area, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication, Maariv, reported.The protesters were cleared from the area by police forces, with eight suspects arrested for violating public order, and one police officer injured in the process, according to Israel police spokesperson.The light rail returned to its normal operations shortly after.Black Flag protesters have argued in past protests that the coalition has done nothing to help improve the lives of citizens during the coronavirus crisis, but rather is only concerned with benefits and passing legislation that allows the government to remain in power.In Tuesday's protest, the movement released a statement calling on Netanyahu to show responsibility towards Israel's citizens and resign."A prime minister with a pending indictment does not have the time to handle the worst economic crisis of our generation. Hundreds of thousands of Israel's self-employed are collapsing under the incompetence of the government headed by Netanyahu, a government busy 24/7 with Netanyahu's trial. If he has a sense of responsibility left inside him for this country's citizens - he must resign and hand over the reins to someone who has the time for state-related issues," the group's statement read.Earlier, in an interview with N12, Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar addressed the recent civil protests taking place in light of the economic crisis, attempting to disconnect the impact of the current coronavirus crisis and the Black Flag protests against the prime minister.
"The Black Flag protests are political protest[s] with a clear political agenda against the prime minister and have nothing to do with the coronavirus. People are losing their basic means. We must see and understand the authentic upheaval," Sa'ar said, adding that he was "troubled by political factors who are taking it to dangerous places."
