Police blocked detained protesters from taking shelter amid ballistic missile attack, activists say

Police prevented detained protesters from taking shelter ahead of a Houthi ballistic missile attack, activists charge, after officers reportedly arrested at least 17 anti-war demonstrators in Tel Aviv.

Footage from tonight shows several detained demonstrators shouting from a bus parked near Habima Square, urging officers to take them to the massive shelter that exists under the plaza.

Instead, police allegedly ordered the bus to leave the area once the missile sirens began, and the cuffed detainees were taken to a room with windows in a nearby building.

Protest organizer Alon Lee Green, one of the detained demonstrators, says police took them to an unprotected space after the siren had already ceased. “All of these police officers broke the law,” he charges.

Another detainee points out that they are surrounded by windows in the building. “In the police’s ‘secure space’ there is glass here, glass there… there is no security whatsoever,” he says angrily.

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters at Habima Square have descended to the large protected space under the plaza and continued to chant slogans there, deriding police as “criminals” and waving signs against the government.

Police have not yet responded to a request for comment.

Lawyers representing the protesters say 17 arrests have been made tonight in Tel Aviv, however police say they have arrested only 10 individuals so far on suspicion of disturbing public order.

המשטרה לא מאפשרת לעצורים לצאת למרחב מוגן – נקווה שיתעשתו במהרה

תל אביב 04/04/2026 pic.twitter.com/9OrI1nBjxB

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) April 4, 2026

במהלך האזעקה המשטרה מסרבת להכניס את העצירים למרחב המוגן בהבימה ומורה לאוטובוס לנסוע מהמקום. הם מכניסים את כל העצירים לחדר מדרגות של אחד הבניינים. למרות המרחב המוגן התקני שיש בהבימה.

04/04/2026 תל אביב ????עופרי איתן Ofri Eitan pic.twitter.com/Aw2UYwpMNa

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) April 4, 2026