Ten protesters were arrested in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night during a social justice demonstration that saw clashes between activists and police.
Some two hundred protesters gathered near the government compound at the Azrieli Center junction in a demonstration against the high cost of living that police said was unauthorized, as the event's organizers failed to obtain the proper permit to hold such an event.
Police clashed with protesters as they attempted to prevent them from blocking the intersection.
Eventually some fifty protesters began marching down Kaplan Street in the direction of Dizengoff Center. Police accompanied the procession.
RELATED:400,000 rally for social justice across the countryLower turnout as ‘social justice’ hits streets againAccording to police, the activists banged pots and pans, and one demonstrator was arrested when he set a trash can on fire.
The event's organizers said in a statement, "We are attacked from all
fronts. Every third child in Israel is hungry and every other employee
earns minimum wage at a time when the conglomerates are growing. The
Israeli democracy is being attacked by a regime that is out of touch
with its citizens, shuts them up, threatens them and closes radio
stations it doesn't agree with."
The statement called on people to bring pots and pans to the
demonstration to make noise with in order to "wake the country up from
its coma."
The protest came as the cabinet on Sunday is expected to approve a
string of measures to bring down living costs, including opening the
country's cement market to competition, and removing duty on internet
purchases of up to NIS 1,000.
A statement put out by the Prime Minister's Office Sunday said the steps
were part of the government's implementation of the Trajtenberg
Committee’s recommendations on sweeping socioeconomic change that was
approved in September. The Trajtenberg Committee was established
following the massive socio-economic protests of the summer.
Herb Keinon contributed to this report.