Jerusalem police use water cannons on anti-government protesters, shove MK Yair Golan to the ground

Police are using water cannons on protesters during a demonstration outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem, ahead of the government’s anticipated firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

The protesters reportedly attempted to breach barricades before police deployed cannons using water as well as high-powered streams of foul-smelling “skunk” water in an attempt to disperse them.

Police officers shove leader of opposition Democrats party, MK Yair Golan, knocking him and several others to the ground. According to reports, Golan had been trying to aid another protester when he was pushed.

Videos and photos show another protester sprawled on the ground after he was apparently hit by one of the police water cannons, while another demonstrator is seen bleeding, also apparently after being hit by the crowd dispersal tool.

שוטר מעיף על הרצפה את יאיר גולן @YairGolan1

צילום: עפרי איתן

ירושלים 20/03/2025 pic.twitter.com/u9lNjyxclc

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) March 20, 2025

Led by a group of Jerusalem-based academics, the hundreds of demonstrators marched in the rain from Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus to the nearby neighborhood of Rehavia, where Netanyahu’s home is located. Border police officers barricaded part of the street leading to the residence.

The demonstration was organized by Tel Aviv University president Ariel Porat and Israel Bar Association head Amit Becher, among other academics living in the capital. Former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon, an outspoken critic of Netanyahu after serving in his government until 2016, is also in attendance at the protest.

Yesterday, at least 12 protesters were arrested during a rally outside Netanyahu’s home. Police clashed with demonstrators as many attempted to break through crowd control barriers and block roads to traffic.

Netanyahu’s office informed cabinet members yesterday that they will hold a vote on this evening on the dismissal of Bar, which would mark the first time in Israeli history that the government has fired the head of the domestic security agency. The protesters are also calling for a hostage deal and for the government to halt its contentious judicial overhaul.