Wounded at an asylum seeker demonstration in Tel Aviv (Photo: Yotam Ronen)
The riots that erupted earlier on Saturday in the streets of south Tel Aviv intensified the fierce internal battles taking place within the Eritrean community between supporters and opponents of the regime in the African country. So far, more than 160 people have been injured, including eight in serious condition and about 30 police officers who sustained minor injuries in the clashes. The clashes are still ongoing, but even at this hour, police sources claim that this is an intelligence failure: "We fell asleep on guard, ignored the intelligence accumulated in preparation for the outbreak," senior members of the organization said.
The clashes erupted against the backdrop of a festival held by the Eritrean embassy on Yad Harutzim Street in south Tel Aviv. The demonstrators, opponents of the regime, protest against the conduct of the regime in their country of origin, claiming that it still persecutes them through its representations around the world. But the strong opposition of asylum seekers to the festival, it turns out, could have been expected.
The embassy's independence celebrations bring tensions to the surface, accompanied every year by violence and many injuries on both sides. Recently, there have been more violent than usual protests during embassy celebrations in other cities around the world – but the police, it turns out, were not prepared according to the likelihood that they would arrive here as well.
Vandalism at Eritrean asylum seekers' demonstration, Tel Aviv, September 2, 2023 (Photo: Yotam Ronen)
About a week ago, New Hope for Eritreans sent a letter to the police warning of the volatility of the festival planned at the embassy in Eritrea. "On Saturday, the Eritrean embassy in Israel is planning a political event, the planned event is accompanied by threats from its supporters – and equally a demonstration of resistance by opponents of the dictatorship is planned. In Israel, there have been similar incidents in the past that got out of control and took a heavy toll on people."
The organization also noted in the letter that similar events of Eritrean missions around the world were canceled due to fears of an outbreak of violence: "Such events took place during the months of July and August around the world, such as Germany, Sweden, Britain, Canada and the United States - the events mentioned were stopped due to severe violence that endangered the lives of both supporters and opponents and local citizens."
The organization even went so far as to attach in the letter a link to a Facebook post documenting the organization of regime opponents for the festival.
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai at a briefing at the Sharett station, following a demonstration of Eritrean asylum seekers, Tel Aviv, September 2, 2023 (Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson's Office)
Another letter, sent to police on Thursday by seven heads of Eritrean churches belonging to the regime's opponents, in an attempt to prevent the incident, said it was "known in advance that it would lead to violence as it was abroad."
"We, the religious leaders of the Eritrean churches in Israel, appeal to you to prevent the event organized by a group of Eritrean residents living in Israel," the religious leaders wrote.
The leaders added examples from other countries that canceled the events: "Certain countries in the West, such as the Netherlands, Britain and Canada, have banned events of the kind currently planned for Tel Aviv, following the violence that accompanied these events that took place in Sweden, the United States and Germany," they wrote, urging the police: "In light of the above, in order to prevent passions that may, God forbid, cause disaster, we ask that the planned event not be allowed to take place."
Eritrean asylum seekers demonstrate in Tel Aviv, September 2, 2023 (Photo: official website, Israel Police Spokesperson's Office)
"For an entire week, representatives of the Eritrean leadership approached the police in an attempt to cancel the embassy event and prevent the clash, the police ignored them - and now they are firing stun grenades and sponge bullets at them," the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants and an aid organization for refugees and asylum seekers said in a statement. "The demonstrators sought to protest the Eritrean embassy's blatant interference in the lives of those fleeing the brutal dictatorship. Eritrean embassies around the world persecute asylum seekers, and in other countries embassy events have been cancelled precisely for fear of flare-ups as we see it now. This bloody failure could and should have been prevented."
Sigal Cook Avivi, a human rights activist, told Walla! "In recent months, regime supporters have been busy normalizing themselves through cultural conferences in Europe, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Canada and other places. Opponents of the police said it was impossible, that they could not raise money for the regime. Canada and European countries have risen to their feet and said this will not happen and have succeeded in preventing them, not only now but also in the future, that regime supporters will not be allowed to act publicly. The international and Israeli community contacted the Israeli police, sent them letters. I spoke on Thursday with Interior Minister Moshe Arbel's chief of staff. I personally said that if he didn't stop the conference, it would be hell. He said it wasn't his responsibility, that I should contact the police. We said the conference was going to create more commotion than the police know."
"The community is not ready for this to happen anymore," she continued, "They say that letting regime supporters act freely is not only politically but also physically harming – they are harassing and murdering them. The community says, 'For four years we managed to keep ourselves quiet, we can't do it anymore.' No one paid attention. The police enter them in Rabac and fire live bullets at them. When did they pick up sticks and stones? When the police prevented anyone from approaching the conference area, it only happened when they didn't let them protest. In Europe, they burned down the conference area."
Eritrean asylum seekers demonstrate in Tel Aviv, September 2, 2023 (Photo: official website, Israel Police Spokesperson's Office)
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Just earlier this month, more than 50 people were injured and dozens arrested in Stockholm after opponents of the Eritrean government stormed an event in the Swedish capital organized by regime supporters, the Guardian reported. There, some 1,000 Eritrean demonstrators protesting against the regime in their home country broke through a police checkpoint, knocked down festival tents and set fire to stalls and vehicles. Local police said between 100 and 200 people were arrested in the clashes.
Last month, similar clashes took place in the western German city of Giessen, the Associated Press reported. German police reported at the time that 22 police officers were injured in the clashes and dozens of protesters were arrested.
According to estimates by the Population and Immigration Authority, close to 18,<> Eritrean citizens live in Israel. The dictatorial state, ruled by Isaias Afwerki, imposes conscription without a release date on all its citizens and denies residents political rights, freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Those who resist face lengthy prison sentences and even torture. However, Israel is not examining whether those who arrive are indeed opponents of the regime, and so do its supporters and are not expelled back.
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