Notable activist injured during 33rd week of anti-Netanyahu protests
While the protests were peaceful for the most part of the evening, it was later reported that Asaf Agmon, a notable activist in the Anti-Netanyahu protests, was injured in Jerusalem.
By TOBIAS SIEGALAnti-Netanyahu protesters in Jerusalem addressed police brutality by erecting a large poster showcasing a water cannon vehicle usually used by police to disperse protests alongside the Hebrew caption: "a water cannon vehicle of hope," Saturday, February 6, 2021.(photo credit: EIN MATZAV (“NO WAY”) MOVEMENT)
Anti-Netanyahu protests continued for the 33rd consecutive week on Saturday evening, with thousands marching in Jerusalem and in Caesarea.While the protests were peaceful for the most part of the evening, it was later reported that Asaf Agmon, a notable activist in the anti-Netanyahu protests and head of the Ein Matzav ("No Way") Movement was injured while trying to leave the protest compound in Jerusalem. Agmon reportedly tried to leave the area and was stopped by police officers. A physical confrontation developed, during which an officer reportedly shoved him toward a fence, causing him to lose consciousness.Agmon was treated by a paramedic on the scene and then evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem."They didn't let the ambulance reach me for a half an hour," Agmon later said in a video taken while he was in the hospital and published by the Crime Minister Movement. "The police officers punched me on the chest with both hands and then shoved the fence on me ... I was dizzy and fell down."Asaf Agmon after losing consciousness during the Anti-Netanyahu protests in Jerusalem, Saturday, February 6, 2021. (Credit: Black Flags Movement)
Alongside the routine chants calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign in light of his pending trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, protesters in Jerusalem also addressed police violence directed toward protesters and erected a large poster showcasing a water cannon vehicle usually used by police to disperse protests alongside the Hebrew caption: "A water cannon vehicle of hope."The display was meant to address last week’s protests that saw a shift in the police response to protesters in Jerusalem when a police water cannon vehicle was used against protesters after not being used for several months.
Anti-Netanyahu protesters in Jerusalem, Saturday, February 6, 2021. (Credit: Ein Matzav Movement)
Several members of Knesset, including Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, MK Tamar Zandberg, MK Yair Golan and MK Esawi Frej, joined the protesters on Balfour Road to show their support."Failure after failure is all we see from this criminal coronavirus government," Horowitz said. "We're existing the third lockdown in the exact situation we were in before we entered it, and with a fourth lockdown just around the corner.”In Caesarea, hundreds marched to Netanyahu's private residence, calling on him to resign."On Monday, Netanyahu will stand trial and respond to his indictment. This situation of him maintaining his position as prime minister at the same time is unthinkable - we won't get used to it and we will not agree to normalize it," a statement by Movement for Quality Government read.
