50,000 Israelis gather in Tel Aviv for massive anti-gov’t protest

Around 50,000 Israeli protesters gathered at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square on Saturday evening as part of massive anti-government protests, according to Maariv. The police are turning away arriving protesters because of heavy congestion in the area.

Meanwhile, 1,500 protesters joined a similar protest in Jerusalem.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak joined the protesters at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, Maariv reported.

Earlier in the evening, the Black Flags Movement issued a statement vowing to fight against “[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s coup d’etat.

“The Jewish people will not give up their freedom for the tyranny of Bibism,” the statement read. “Netanyahu’s dangerous actions carried out through Justice Minister Yariv Levin are putting the Zionist vision at risk.”

The protest group further called on Israel Police officials to “act sharply against provocateurs who will be planted by the fascist camp. Ensure a democratic protest – we are also fighting for you and your families,” it added.

Protest leaders and organizers continued to call on Saturday for police officers to “ensure the security of the protestors and allow them to fully exercise their rights to protest and their freedoms of speech.”

Police officers were seen surveying Habima Square in Tel Aviv, where tens of thousands are set to gather later on Saturday to protest the government’s planned judicial reforms.

Michaeli calls on police to not be ‘tools’ in Ben-Gvir’s game

Labor leader MK Merav Michaeli, who previously confirmed her intention to attend the demonstrations, also called on police to allow for peaceful protests to occur, adding that this is “a struggle of truth and of values. A fight for rights and for freedom.”

“I will be there together with MKs and members of the Labor Party to ensure that your rights as demonstrators are protected,” Michaeli added. “We cannot run this protest by remote control.

“I also call on the police to act responsibly and professionally. You are not tools in anyone’s game. Even if the National Security Minister [Itamar Ben-Gvir] tries very hard to police you, you are the police.

“You are the public’s gatekeepers and your responsibility is to protect the public, not to act against it,” Michaeli said in a message to police officers.

According to reports from earlier in the week, Ben-Gvir instructed police to arrest protesters who block roads or riot at the protests.