An estimated 130,000 people participated in the Saturday protests in Israel. Mounted police units were deployed in Tel Aviv, where protesters clashed with police, who reportedly punched some protesters.
Protesters in South Tel Aviv calling for Bibi to resign. Protest keeps moving locations every few minutes as police advance too. pic.twitter.com/RhCNetp0Vl
— Tamir Elterman (@Telterman) October 3, 2020
עימותים קשים בין שוטרים למפגינים ברחוב יפת. שוטר יסמ שלח אליי אגרוף תוך כדי תנועה על אופנוע. יציאה מפרופורציה של המשטרה pic.twitter.com/tnIT7saqnF
— Bar Peleg (@bar_peleg) October 3, 2020
The Haaretz said that at least ten arrests were made in Tel Aviv on Saturday and fines were handed out to multiple people in Tel Aviv over violations of emergency regulations.
עוד מעצר אלים של מפגין בלב תל אביב. מה אני אומר לכם, אני נשבע שאני בורר מתוך עשרות הסרטונים שמגיעים אליי תוך כדי תנועה pic.twitter.com/DyyKZCbQ40
— Bar Peleg (@bar_peleg) October 3, 2020
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai was lightly injured in the hand amid clashes between protesters and police on Saturday, the newspaper said, adding that the mayor is feeling well.
גם ראש עיריית תל אביב רון חולדאי נפצע קלות בידו במהלך ההפגנה הערב. המשטרה אבדה שליטה@ynetalerts pic.twitter.com/kSba6f2QMj
— איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) October 3, 2020
At the end of last month, fresh coronavirus restrictions came into force in Israel, building upon the new lockdown introduced on 18 September. The new lockdown measures will be in force until 14 October, with a possibility of extension.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Knesset approved an amendment to the coronavirus law allowing to limit protests: now, no more than 20 people, who live within one kilometre (0.6 miles) of a rally scene can participate in the demonstration.
Protests calling on Netanyahu to step down amid an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic have been ongoing since July.
Israel's top COVID-19 policy advisor and the director-general of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Ronni Gamzu, has accused Netanyahu of tightening COVID-19 restrictions in an attempt to contain anti-government demonstrations.
