May 30, 2012
Second anti-migrant demonstration in Tel Aviv turns violent
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Residents of south Tel Aviv carry Israeli flags during a protest against African migrants living in their neighborhoods on May 30. Photo by REUTERS/Baz Ratner
For the second time in a week, an anti-migrant demonstration in south Tel Aviv turned violent.
A small group of protesters verbally attacked an Israeli of Ethiopian descent who passed by Wednesday night’s demonstration; one protester hit him. Five protesters were arrested for rioting.
The demonstrators had planned to march to the Shapira neighborhood of southern Tel Aviv, which is home to many African migrants. They carried signs reading “This is South Tel Aviv, not South Sudan” and “Send the Sudanese back to Sudan.”
Some 100 counter-protesters carried signs reading “Extreme Right—not in my neighborhood!”
Ynet reported that volunteers from refugee aid organizations have been escorting hundreds of migrant children home from kindergarten and a special migrant library because their parents fear they will be attacked.
A week ago an anti-migrant rally with approximately 1,000 demonstrators turned violent when the protesters attacked Africans who passed by the rally and smashed the windshield of a car carrying three migrants as well as other car windows. The rioters also set trash bins on fire, threw firecrackers at police, and broke into and looted shops associated with the African migrant community.
