Mounted police officers disperse anti-government sit-in calling for hostage deal at Tel Aviv’s Democracy Square

Police, including mounted officers, are dispersing a sit-in on Democracy Square on Tel Aviv’s Kaplan street that was blocking traffic to call for a hostage release deal and for the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Earlier in the evening, anti-government protesters marched along Begin Street to join families of hostages held by terror groups in Gaza since October 7 for the demonstration after their weekly rally.

Photos from the demonstrations show protesters marching with a banner that reads, “The government gave up (on the hostages). The people will bring them home.”

An AFP correspondent reports that protesters observed a minute’s silence in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square in honor of seven captives whose bodies were recovered by Israel Defense Forces troops this month.

At Democracy Square, protesters light a bonfire to mark the eve of the Lag B’Omer holiday tonight.

Videos on social media show multiple police officers surrounding a protester and forcibly removing him from the crowd.

מעצרים אלימים בהפגנה למען שחרור החטופים

25/05/24 תל אביב pic.twitter.com/5lKqihnh9d

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) May 25, 2024

It is not clear if the man was formally detained. Hebrew media sites report that two protesters have been arrested at this evening’s protests.

Ynet reports that Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan has been held by terror groups in Gaza, is detained by police during the rally on Kaplan Street.

Another video shows mounted police officers dispersing protesters in Tel Aviv amid shouts from the crowd of “shame, shame!”

קפלן.
האמת לא הייתה שום סיבה שהמשטרה תתחיל להפעיל אמצעים. המפגינים ישבו בצומת אבל זה לא מצא חן בעיניי המשטרה. כוחות נכנסו בכח, האווירה התלהטה, המכתז הגיע והפרשים התחילו להשתולל.
מיותר ממש. pic.twitter.com/GIYLqQgluw

— Josh Breiner (@JoshBreiner) May 25, 2024

The anti-government protest movement says that some activists are blocking water canon trucks to prevent police from using them to disperse the crowds.

Similar protests against the government are held simultaneously around the country, in cities including Jerusalem, Ra’anana, Netanya and outside Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea.

Agencies contributed to this report.