I almost experienced the dumping of objects during the riots yesterday myself, when a bottle of water was thrown at me with force • The residents of the city also came out against the organized rioters

The organized riot of hundreds of demonstrators during and after the demonstration near the Prime Minister's House turned the center of Jerusalem into a battlefield last night. The violence and aggression of the protesters and riots included throwing chairs, burning garbage containers and also assaulting police and media personnel. 

The riots in Jerusalem yesterday // Photo: Police spokeswoman

One of the water bottles, thrown by the protesters at the police forces and the media almost hit my head, and only speed of reaction and luck prevented damage and the bottle was slammed hard on the ground. During the riot, rioters threw eggs at police and media personnel. 

Detectives from the Jerusalem District Police entered the demonstrators and took out at least two young men, who infiltrated the demonstration and transferred them to the other side where the demonstration in support of the Likud prime minister took place. The young demonstrators against the prime minister, some of whom arrived by organized transportation, marched after the demonstration in central Jerusalem, blocking roads as well as the light rail axis and violating public order time and time again. One of the detectives was attacked by the rioters when he made an arrest, it cannot be ignored that some of the rioters had a visible face, which could intensify the spread of the corona plague in Israel. 

More on this topic:

• Minister Dudi Amsalem on the riot in Jerusalem: "A step before anarchy"

• Left-wing demonstration against Netanyahu: Hundreds of rioters threw stones, attack police and damage property

• "The riots were led by anarchists"

The residents of Jerusalem, who were in the city center at the time of the mass riot, went out against the rioters. One resident shouted "I wish the police would stop you" at a demonstrator who marched with a sign condemning the police, while a worker at an ice cream parlor on Jaffa Street hurried to get the rioters out of the place and closed the doors for fear of destruction. 

There is no question whether the riot was organized, with the heads of the protesters encouraging them not to shy away from the police forces and shouting time and time again: "Police state" and also shouting at the crowd with a megaphone: "Do not be afraid." An elderly woman, a resident of the city, came out against the aggression of the rioters and exclaimed in the past: "You are tired, you are behaving like gangsters." Tali Ben Shimol, who lives near the prime minister's house on Balfour Street, also found it difficult to calm down from the events: "There was severe violence by the protesters," she said. We are not at war. All the neighbors were with windows and shutters closed. My neighbor, who is an older woman, was very afraid that they would come to her house. It can not go on like this. ' 

Ben Shimol went down to the demonstrators and asked them to stop rioting and making noise after 11 at night: 'I went to the demonstrators and asked them to leave because it was already after 11 and it was illegal. They shouted at me and the police told me to go home immediately. The police are afraid of them. There were dangerous people among the protesters. They did not want to evacuate and also threw a bottle of water, which fell at my feet. ' 

It should be noted that the protest leaders condemned the incidents of violence and rioting: "We condemn all violence and go against all violations of the law. The violent incidents that took place tonight are of course not part of the demonstration, "clarified Ronit Ehrenfreund, coordinator of the" No Situation "headquarters, headed by Amir Hashakel. 'At the same time it is important to understand where the young rage of the young people came from. They experience that their economic future in the country is not guaranteed. They experience that the existence of democratic society in general and the rights of the individual in particular are threatened every day and are not as we have grown and taught them and all this in the face of a complete loss of the personal and moral example of state leadership. We call on everyone to join us in calling on the Prime Minister: 'If the future of society is dear to your heart, resign immediately, take time to pursue your case and we will take time to repair the rifts you have left, the economic damage and the restoration of democracy.' We believe in freedom of expression, integrity and non-violence, this is our way and we will continue to do so. " 

And as if yesterday's events were not, tomorrow evening a democratic chair with a lecture and discussion is expected to take place in the protest encampment near the Prime Minister's House, and on Friday afternoon there will be a Shabbat reception with artists and speakers.