16 protesters arrested last night for breaking into Likud HQ set to be charged — lawyers

Some 16 protesters arrested last night after breaking into the Likud party headquarters are on their way to be charged in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court, an anti-government protester support organization says, after they were held overnight at the Salame police station in the city’s south.

They will be split into two groups and brought before two judges, the Protest Detainee Legal Support Front says.

Almost three dozen more detainees remain in police custody after dozens of anti-government protesters broke into the ruling party’s headquarters building, Metzudat Zeev, in Tel Aviv last night.

According to attorney Gaby Lasky, a former MK who is representing the detainees, one of those arrested was held in handcuffs all night.

According to the Protest Detainee Legal Support Front, 60 protesters were arrested during the demonstrations. Before some activists broke into the Likud HQ, a Qatari flag with the caption “Embassy of Qatar” in Hebrew and Arabic was projected onto the building, in reference to investigations into the alleged connections of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aides with Doha, referred to as Qatargate.

The detainees’ support organization accuses the police of deliberately dragging out the decision-making process regarding who to charge with criminal violations and who to release as a way to “punish and break” those involved in legitimate protest.