On Saturday, Tel Aviv witnessed a violent clash involving hundreds of Eritrean government supporters and opponents, resulting in dozens of injuries and multiple arrests, according to Israeli

authorities.

Israel's Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service reported that they had treated more than 114 individuals for various injuries, including dozens of police officers. Among these injuries, eight were categorized as serious, as confirmed in a statement by MDA.

Subsequently, Israeli Police disclosed that 49 officers sustained injuries, while 39 people were taken into custody. Police officers, who felt threatened during the clashes, resorted to using live ammunition as they extricated themselves from the tumultuous crowds, though it remains uncertain whether any of the injuries resulted from police live fire.

Social media platforms featured videos of Eritrean government supporters engaging in confrontations with anti-government demonstrators.

It is worth noting that Eritreans constitute a significant portion of African asylum seekers in Israel.

As tensions escalated, Israeli police deployed stun grenades in an effort to disperse the unruly gatherings, while some protesters retaliated by hurling stones at law enforcement officers and setting fire to trash bins.

In a statement released by Tel Aviv Police, it was revealed that substantial police and Border Police forces had been prepared in anticipation of the planned protest, with a designated location and time allocated for the demonstration. However, the situation deviated from the plan as protesters arrived prematurely and disrupted public order. Some participants engaged in acts of severe violence and vandalism within the city streets.

The statement further elaborated, "During these difficult events, police officers who felt an immediate threat to their lives opened live fire while extricating themselves from the approaching crowd." Currently, the police have successfully restored order in southern Tel Aviv, with additional police forces poised for further arrests to ensure the safety and peace of the local population.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed on the unfolding disturbances on Saturday and promptly issued directives to restore order, as conveyed by his office in a statement. Following the severe disruptions in Tel Aviv, the statement outlined the prime minister's decision to convene a special ministerial team. The team will assess measures to be taken against individuals involved in the disturbances, including potential deportation proceedings.

This ministerial assembly is scheduled to meet at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem tomorrow, per the statement's conclusion. Photo by Mark Probst from Vienna, Austria, Wikimedia commons.