Five protesters arrested for blocking traffic on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv

Five people have been arrested after a group broke away from the authorized protest in Tel Aviv and attempted to stop the flow of traffic on Kaplan Street, the police say.

According to the police statement, a group of people — who have no connection to the hostages or their families — sat in the middle of the road and refused to move even once they were informed it was illegal to do so.

After they failed to listen to repeated warnings, officers “had to take measures in order to stop the offense and remove the protesters from the road,” the police say.

“During the removal of the protesters, the police arrested five suspects for violating public order,” the statement says, adding that “the Israel Police considers the right to protest a cornerstone in a democratic country and allows protests as long as they are held within the framework of the law.”