In Tel Aviv, a hit-and-run incident left at least three anti-government protesters injured during a Saturday night demonstration, as confirmed by the police. Among the injured, one is in moderate condition, while two sustained light injuries.
Video evidence from the event captured the driver and passengers confronting police and demonstrators before accelerating and running over several individuals. Authorities later apprehended the driver.
Earlier, police had detailed that a faction of rioters obstructed roads following a sanctioned protest, engaging in disruptive behaviours such as igniting bonfires and assaulting officers. An incident involving an officer injured by a protester led to initial misreports corrected after video analysis showed a different sequence of events.
Israel Police criticized a minority of protesters for resorting to violence, emphasizing the diversion of police resources from essential public safety duties.
The Kaplan Force protest group condemned the vehicular assault, linking it to earlier accusations by Transportation Minister Miri Regev against protesters. Regev’s comments on a potential threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s life were criticized by the group, which also held the government accountable for both past and present injuries.
Read: Mass Protests in Tel Aviv Demand Netanyahu Resign
Opposition leader Yair Lapid and Minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz voiced their concerns over the incident, criticizing the government’s response and calling for unity and non-violence.
Regev condemned the violence, emphasizing the need for peace from all parties involved.
The protest in Tel Aviv, part of larger nationwide demonstrations, saw an attendance exceeding 100,000 people on Kaplan Street, alongside over 50 other protest locations across Israel.
