Singer Aviv Geffen detained during anti-overhaul protest in Tel Aviv
Rock musician says he was chatting with fans when officer ‘came out of nowhere’ and shoved him, which led him to push the cop back; police release him without pressing charges
Star singer Aviv Geffen was detained by police during the main Tel Aviv protest against the government’s judicial overhaul on Tuesday evening.
He was taken to a nearby police station before being released 20 minutes later without any charges filed against him.
Geffen told Channel 12 that he had come to the protest with his son Dylan and was speaking to a group of fans when “out of nowhere” a police officer appeared and shoved him “for no reason.” The rock musician said he pushed the officer back, which led to his detention.
Footage from the scene showed Geffen being escorted out of the protest by three officers, as anti-overhaul demonstrators shouted “shame” at the cops.
His son Dylan called it a “violent arrest.”
Police told Channel 12 that the celebrity was in the middle of a group scuffling with police and as tensions rose, he pushed an officer, who brought him to the side of the protest in order to “calm him down.”
אביב גפן עוכב על ידי שוטרים בהפגנה בת"א | תיעוד@ittaishick pic.twitter.com/F8UgwNdm4f
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) July 11, 2023
Before the demonstration, Geffen called on his followers to attend, tweeting that “no one has the privilege of staying at home as a corrupt government changes the character of Israel in the dead of night.”
“Today I will be in the streets fighting for Israel. We will not become tax-paying subjects for a mafia in suits. Wake up,” he added.
As Geffen rose to fame in the 1990s, he was more closely associated with the Israeli left. He was one of the last artists to perform at the November 1995 peace rally where prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated.
In recent years though, he shifted rightward, performing for West Bank settlers and donning a yarmulke at some concerts.
Geffen was one of at least 77 people detained by police during Tuesday’s protests, which came in response to the government advancing the first piece of judicial overhaul legislation since pausing the package in March. Also detained was an army officer with the rank of captain. He was not wearing his uniform at the time and was released later in the evening, the army said.
