Protesters arrested following ‘violent riot’ over festival cancellation

"Unfortunately, the organizers and protestors chose to turn a quiet protest into a disturbance and a violent riot that endangers the peace and security of the public," the police said.

By ALON HOCHMON
Police briefing at the National Headquarters of the Israel Police (photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Police briefing at the National Headquarters of the Israel Police
(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Police arrested 15 people on Saturday night in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square following the cancellation of the 2019 Trance Doof Festival, which was supposed to take place in northern Israel.
Protestors blocked roads in Tel Aviv, some of them throwing glass bottles at police, injuring two of them.
The protest began following a court decision. The police said that "initially protesters expressed their protest in a quiet manner without affecting residents in the area, but at some point began to block major roads near Rabin Square, endangering themselves and others by using verbal abuse and throwing objects at the police. "
"Unfortunately, the organizers and protestors chose to turn a quiet protest into a disturbance and a violent riot that endangers the peace and security of the public," the police said.
It should be noted that this is the largest and oldest trance festival in Israel. The festival was held for the first time in 2004, and since then it has been held every year on Passover at the Golan coast in the eastern part of the Sea of Galilee, and continues for three days.