Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir summarized Saturday night's protest, in which an estimated eighty thousand Israeli attended in demonstration of the new government, as a triumph of democracy and thanked the police for their actions to prevent violence.
Ben Gvir noted that "the Israeli police did well to allow the freedom of demonstration but at the same time did not allow the blocking of the Ayalon highway. I instructed the police to follow the same policy of patience and dialogue towards the general public as well. Freedom of expression is for everyone, Ethiopian Jews, ultra-Orthodox, and settlers as well. I am glad that the demonstrators from the left came to their senses and did not use Nazi symbols to protest the new government ."
Following threats/demands from Minister for National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, Tel Aviv mayor @Ron_Huldai says that if the police bring a water cannon to the protest, "I'll be standing in front of it." pic.twitter.com/3qQQ1CNjGB
— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي (@NTarnopolsky) January 13, 2023
He further added that "At the moment, the objective of the police must be devoted to the fight to increase the sense of personal security and the uncompromising fight against the leading criminal families. There is a lot of work and the police need to roll up their sleeves.”
The first speaker at the demonstration in Tel Aviv last night was retired Supreme Court judge Ayala Prokcha, representing the main focus of the demonstration, against the expected reforms of the judicial system. The former justice said: "We are in a period of a deep rift. Democracy is not only the will of the majority, it also has other values to which the majority is subject, including human rights, moral purity, and judicial independence. All the borders have been crossed. A country where justices and military personnel head to the streets and demonstrate is not a reformed country."
see if you can spot me 😉 https://t.co/vCnwDKQCBX
— ياعيل 🪬 יעל (@ya3ili) January 14, 2023
It should be noted that it was reported Friday that the right-wing minister received a briefing from the Police Commissioner and a senior officer in Tel Aviv about the demonstration and they all reached a consensus on the matter. Ben Gvir expressed satisfaction that protesters did not resort to comparisons between Nazis and incumbent ministers, as sought in the protest the week before. According to the police, the main goal was to prevent any disorder that would include the blocking of Tel Aviv’s main highway the “Ayalon.”
According to anonymous sources present at the meeting between Ben Gvir and the police, he asked them "not to give the anarchists the photos they want”, but on the other hand demanded equal justice for all and said the “anarchists” should be treated no differently then ultra-Orthodox protesters, Ethiopians Jews, settler protests."
Some more photographs from the protest in Tel Aviv Jaffa of Jan 14.
— Michael Vokabre (@Vokabre) January 14, 2023
The flag on the right is two-sided, one side is Palestinian flag, another side is Israeli flag. Police said they are not going to confiscate Palestinian flags despite the order of Ben Gvir. Indeed they did not. pic.twitter.com/pWyHbkJWgo
The concern about anarchists came last week when ten thousand protesters came to Tel Aviv under the guise of protesting judicial reforms, however, the tone was mostly centered on apartheid and occupation. Many protesters left fearing the organizers were fringe left-wing groups and there were skirmishes between some in the crowd and the police.
