Tires and wooden planks were set on fire on Highway 20 near the Halacha interchange during Tel Aviv's judicial reform protests on Saturday night, according to a report from the Israel Police spokespersons unit.
Dozens of demonstrators carrying torches broke through the police barricade and went down to the Ayalon highway lanes, according to a report from KAN News. The protestors blocked the highway and began to march northward from the Shalom Interchange.
A total of 21 protestors were arrested over the course of the evening.
Firefighters and police forces were deployed to the area in order to control the fire, disperse the rioters and protestors and make arrests.
protestors were seen painting the words "Bibi is a traitor" on the street in paint, according to KAN News.
Repercussions and reactions
Two protestors were arrested on site after biting police officers, and over a dozen more were arrested soon afterward.
Several police officers were injured and received medical treatment on-site. Firefighters and other municipal officers were able to clear the debris near the Halacha interchange in an effort to open the road to traffic. The Israel Police spokespersons unit announced approximately three hours later that the road was clear and safe to drive through.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement following the violent outbreak: "The illegal rampage of the protestors in Tel Aviv, including burning tires...and spraypainting a statement accusing the prime minister of Israel of treason, shows that this is a protest by anarchists who are not asking for freedom of expression but rather freedom of belligerence. I call on Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to immediately condemn this anarchist rioting and incitement. I instructed the police to act with zero tolerance in the face of violence, incitement and anarchy. Anarchists must not be allowed to set fire to Tel Aviv."