Ten arrested in Tel Aviv social justice protest

Demonstrators bang pots and pans, clash with police in demonstration meant to "wake the country up from its coma."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Social Justice protest 311 (photo credit: Israel Police)
Social Justice protest 311
(photo credit: Israel Police)
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.
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According 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.