Thousands demonstrated against the legal revolution at Ben Gurion Airport - 52 were arrested

Thousands of people demonstrated on Monday against the legal revolution at Ben Gurion Airport. Clashes broke out between police forces and protesters, who blocked major roads in the port, including the road leading to the entrance to the passenger hall in Terminal 3. 52 people were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct. Later, the demonstration continued in front of the police station in Ramla, where the detainees were taken.
During the demonstration, after it was blocked, the axis leading to the entrance to the passenger hall was opened, but the protestors returned and blocked it while struggling with the forces. Later, he was released again, and the police increased their forces with Parashim and Makhtazeit. "This is a blatant violation of public order, damage to security traffic lanes and assaulting police officers," the police said. "We will work to fully punish those involved."
On the other hand, the organizers of the protest stated that "police violence will not suppress the protest". They also added that the police blocked the entrance road to the port, in order to prevent more protesters from entering. "A serious violation of the right to protest and may lead to unnecessary flight delays," they said.
At the same time, protests were also held in other centers throughout the country, including Tzemach Junction, Yakneam Junction, where flares were lit, as well as outside the diploma ceremony at the Technion - where a performance by the "Student Protest" activists took place. "We came today to remind the recent graduates and their families - we are not ready for the years we invested in the degree to go down the drain just because the architects of the coup decided that dominance is more important than our future. Without democracy, we will leave the degree in a crushed job market, where there are no jobs because the high-tech industry is bleeding," they said.
Among those arrested in the demonstration at the National University of Israel was Bar Pekula, one of the leaders of the student protest, as well as Professor Nir Ben-Tal of the academic protest. The headquarters of the academic struggle stated that "the frequent arrests of academics testify to the war that the government of terror has declared on its citizens in order to deter and cool down their protest. We will not hesitate and we will not stop until the coup laws are passed."
"We arrived a long time before the flight to Israel, we were 5 hours early," told Walla! A couple from Rishon Lezion who flew to New York. "The flight was at 9:00 PM and we arrived at 4:00 PM because we were afraid of the blocked roads. The anarchists make a mess and we normal people have to suffer? that they stand outside the road and do not disturb all passengers. We are flying because my father is very ill, with Parkinson's at the age of 88, how can I be late for the flight? Not everyone flies just to hang out."
MK Merav Michaeli who was present at the demonstration said: "I saw in the media these people who gave up a day's work to come and save the State of Israel from a dangerous and predatory police coup. During a military operation, when IDF soldiers are putting themselves at risk in Jenin, they continue with all their might with legislation that will simply destroy the State of Israel. This is not 'just' the reason for reasonableness, it is an opening for extreme corruption and appointments that will destroy our structure from within."
"This government is the most terrible thing that ever happened," said Eyal, a resident of Tel Aviv who came to protest. "In my opinion, this is much more than the reform. The damage they are doing to the police, health and education. The Minister of Finance for that matter, who does not understand anything about the economy. They can choose the most corrupt people and no one will say anything, it is their game," he added.
Before it began, and following the announcement by the chairman of the Constitution Committee, Simcha Rothman, who claimed that he would raise the cancellation of the reason for reasonableness this week, the organizers of the protest responded and claimed that "a clear and sharp message must be sent to the government: if you try to transfer the dictatorship, we will know, as in the first round, to paralyze the state and stop the the legislation".
The demonstration took place at the same time as the IDF operation in Jenin, to which the organizers referred and claimed that while the IDF fighters are fighting for security, "we will make sure that they have a democratic country to live in". "Kaplan Force" leaders stated that the demonstration is "part of a series of democratic, legal and non-violent protest actions that will take place in the coming weeks", and that "the government must immediately shelve all coup laws and stop trying to destroy democracy". The chairman of Israel Beitenu Avigdor Lieberman also addressed the protest and claimed that "the danger to national strength is the legislation in the Knesset, and to bring the most controversial laws to a vote today. We need to focus on Netanyahu and the other ministers, but not harm civilians."
In a briefing held by Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai earlier, he referred to the demonstration being prepared and claimed that "we are obliged to have our hand on the pulse. I emphasize the policy, we allow the legitimate protest according to law and we will act with reasonableness and discretion according to its characteristics. If there is an exception such as vandalism, damage to infrastructure and damage to police officers - zero tolerance should be applied. Regarding blocking an axis as part of the protest, I request quick action with the appropriate forces. There is no legitimacy to block the gates of the National Security Agency in any way," he said.