All 61 protesters arrested at ‘600 days of failure’ protests released

All 61 detainees who were arrested Wednesday night during an anti-government demonstration at the Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv were released Thursday from detention under various conditions.

The Protest Detainee Legal Support Front, which provides anti-government protesters with legal aid, pointed out that some of the detainees spent nearly a day in detention and accused police of prolonging the release process to punish them.

The protests marked the 600 days in which the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza have been in captivity, and also sought to highlight government corruption, focusing on the allegedly illicit ties of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aides to Qatar.

During the protests, dozens broke into the Likud party’s Metzudat Ze’ev headquarters building in Tel Aviv, and some chained themselves to the stair railings outside of Netanyahu’s office.

At the same time, dozens demonstrated outside the building and blocked the street, leading police to forcibly remove many protesters over several hours.

Police accused the protesters of trespassing, disturbing public order, causing property damage, setting fires and fighting with officers.

The protesters insisted, however, that the demonstration had been non-violent and accused police of using violence when removing them from the site, in particular with the use of mounted officers to corral demonstrators.

Footage of the demonstrations showed mounted police officers using their horses to charge at protesters.

600 ימים של הפקרה. 58 חטופים עדיין בעזה. 58 עצורים בהפגנה סמוך למצודת זאב. המפגינים מלווים את אוטובוס העצורים ונדחפים באלימות ע״י 6 פרשים ועשרות רבות של שוטרים. מצודת ז'בוטינסקי. ת''א.
צילום: עידית אבישי pic.twitter.com/d9cmzRCgN5

— Hili Brook (@HiliBrook) May 28, 2025

Police said two officers were injured during the protests, claiming that one of whom broke his arm as a result of protester violence.

Of the 61 detainees, 45 were released by the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court with a restraining order of 15 days from the Likud headquarters building.

Another 13 detainees were released on condition of posting a NIS 1,800 ($520) personal bond and a restraining order from the building for 50 meters for 15 days, while another detainee had the same physical restrictions but did not need to post bond.

The police had requested significantly stiffer conditions but the court rejected those terms.

A final detainee who is suspected of arson was placed under house arrest until June 1, and was barred by the court from contacting the others involved in the incident for 30 days. The detainee was also required to post a third-party NIS 5,000 ($1,430) bond and a personal bond of NIS 1,800.