Two demonstrators were arrested in Jerusalem on Sunday night as the social
justice protests took a violent turn a day after nearly 90 were arrested in Tel
Aviv. Around 200 protesters gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Residence at 8
p.m. as a response to the Saturday night protest in Tel Aviv, and then marched
through downtown Jerusalem to Zion Square.
The protesters did not have a
permit to gather outside the residence or to hold a march. Demonstrator Khen
Tsubery said the lack of permit was intentional, because permits have been
difficult to obtain since the Jerusalem Light Rail began operating on Jaffa
Road.
Once the protesters arrived at Zion Square police tried to prevent
them from marching further on the tracks.
Demonstrators forced their way
through the police line and onto the Light Rail tracks, blocking an oncoming
train. During the melee that ensued two demonstrators were arrested.
“The
demonstrators will not be allowed to destroy life for hundreds of thousands of
residents of this city,” Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said. He
added that while police would allow legal protests, they would do everything
possible to stop illegal protests aimed at disrupting major traffic
channels.
Idan Pink, one of the leading activists on Sunday, vowed that
if the police acted violently the protesters would react in kind.
“We’re
here for the same reason as last summer...
Nothing has changed, we want
justice,” she said. “We came out here to get something and we won’t leave until
we get it.”