Clashes as Ethiopian Israelis protest against police brutality in Tel Aviv

 

Police on horseback charged hundreds of ethnic Ethiopian citizens in central Tel Aviv on Sunday as an anti-racism protest descended into one of the most violent demonstrations in Israel's commercial capital in years.

The protesters, Israeli Jews of Ethiopian origin, were demonstrating against what they say is police brutality after the emergence last week of a video clip that showed policemen shoving and punching a black soldier.

Demonstrators overturned a police car, smashed shop windows and destroyed property and threw bottles and stones at officers in riot gear at Rabin Square in the heart of the city.

Tensions subsided after midnight and police said they would be far less accommodating of further such demonstrations.

At least 56 officers and 12 protesters were injured, some requiring hospital treatment, police and an ambulance service official said and 43 people were arrested.

Police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd and some demonstrators threw stones, glass bottles and chairs from nearby restaurants after attempting to storm the Tel Aviv municipality building.
Police said five officers were injured by stones and bottles hurled by protesters, one of whom was arrested.

 

Sunday's protest came three days after a stormy demonstration in Jerusalem sparked by footage showing two policemen beating a uniformed Israeli soldier of Ethiopian origin.
Scores of other Israelis also joined Sunday's rally, chanting and holding up signs reading: "A violent policeman must be put in prison" and "We demand equal rights".