Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Saturday, June 3, 2023
Ben Gvir backs cops after accusations of excessive force at Caesarea protest

A photo circulated by police on June 2, 2023 shows officers at an anti-government protest outside the private home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea. (Israel Police)
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expresses support for police after accusations of excessive force at a protest yesterday near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea, during which over a dozen demonstrators were arrested and several hurt.
A statement from Ben Gvir’s office accuses the demonstrators of “acting illegally, embittering residents’ lives, refusing police orders and ultimately pouncing upon officers who sought to enforce the law, attacking officers and even going to police stations to try to block them.”
“Zero tolerance should be shown toward whoever attacks officers, and our role is to defend officers and democracy,” Ben Gvir is quoted as saying.