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Police detained 21 demonstrators who were protesting the government's judicial reform bill after they began marching towards the Ayalon Highway and confronted police in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched down the highway, which cuts through Tel Aviv, and several blocked one of its exits. Some of the demonstrators even lit a fire on the road.
In addition, the police opened an investigation after footage was published of a protester writing "Bibi is a traitor" on the highway. In addition, a protester was arrested after she bit an officer. An additional officer was bitten by a protester; both officers were taken to receive medical care. According to police, several officers were wounded by the protesters and were treated at the scene. Municipal workers are working to clear the refuse from the fire so the road can reopen.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir commented: "The criminal rampage by protesters in Tel Aviv, which includes burning tires on the Ayalon Highway and spraying graffiti accusing the Prime Minister of treason, shows that this is a protest of anarchists who don't want freedom of expression but the freedom of sedition. I call on Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to immediately condemn this anarchic and incitant riot. I ordered the police to show no tolerance toward violence, incitement, and anarchy. We can not allow anarchists to burn Tel Aviv."
The protest movement leaders responded to Ben-Gvir, stating: "The one who was convicted of supporting terror and is trying to advance a coup d'etat should drink a cup of water and calm down. The reservists and pilots are not anarchists. They are the ones who defended the country while he tried to burn it. We will save Israeli democracy."