‘It’s even worse than we think,’ say Tel Aviv protesters

Hundreds of protesters block Tel Aviv’s Hashmonaim Street, stopping traffic and public transportation to protest the government’s plan to overhaul Israel’s judiciary.

“We want democracy to continue,” says Aryeh Schulman, 46, who came down to the street from his office nearby.

Shulman says that although he and fellow protesters will “continue doing all that we can” to stop the coalition’s effort to upend judicial power, he is considering leaving Israel if it passes.

Several protesters say that they fear that eroding democracy is a first step toward deep, social and security change in Israel.

“It’s even worse than we think,” says Lior Alon, 59, who came to the protest with his adult son.

“Regime change is the first step. Next will come religious laws making this a theocracy. Then the fascists will run free and conquer Arab villages,” he says, holding tight onto an Israeli flag.

“It’ll be like Hungary, we can’t even imagine,” interjects his son Assaf.