Ethiopian Israelis protest police brutality in Tel Aviv

Hundreds close major streets in central Tel Aviv to protest police discrimination against black Israelis.

Photos by Oren Ziv/Activestills.org

Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, Tel Aviv, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Hundreds of Israelis of Ethiopian origin blocked streets and highways in central Tel Aviv Sunday to protest police brutality against black Israelis.

Police arrested 12 people for blocking streets. (Update: all of the arrestees were released in the early morning hours.)

Some protesters carried coffins bearing the name of Yosef Salaams, an Ethiopian Israeli man who committed suicide after suffering police abuse.

 

Large police forces met the protest, which took place near IDF headquarters in central Tel Aviv.

Last year, after several high-profile cases of police violence against Ethiopian Israelis, mass protests took place in cities across Israel.

Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, Tel Aviv, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Police push demonstrators back during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Police push demonstrators back during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Demonstrators confront police during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Demonstrators confront police during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Police block the path of demonstrators during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Police block the path of demonstrators during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Protesters hold a sit-in during a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
A police commander tells demonstrators at a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent that he will release 12 arrestees if the protesters disperse, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
A police commander tells demonstrators at a protest against police brutality targeting Israelis of Ethiopian descent that he will release 12 arrestees if the protesters disperse, July 3, 2016. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)