Israel Police accuses Tel Aviv marchers of 'brutal' vandalism, violence
The Israel Police has condemned what it called "brutal vandalism" during a night of anti-government demonstrations in Tel Aviv, sparked by the deaths in captivity of six of Hamas' Gaza hostages.
In a statement, the Police Spokesperson's Unit said officers arrested 29 suspects for a range of offenses including disorderly conduct, assaulting officers and vandalism.
![PHOTO: Protesters set wooden pallets on fire as they block Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway during an anti-government rally on September 1, 2024, after Israel announced its troops had found six dead hostages in a Gaza tunnel.](https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/9c7125ac-0f23-4588-a5c1-035058046737/tel-aviv-main_1725262228159_hpMain.jpg)
The violence followed a planned protest at the Kaplan Junction in Tel Aviv, the statement said, after which "hundreds of protesters" left the approved demonstration area and moved to the Ayalon Highway, "with the intent to disrupt traffic and public order."
Some marchers "violently pushed against barricades and officers, leading to a confrontation during which a policewoman was injured and lost consciousness," the statement said. The officer was evacuated for medical treatment.
As officers attempted to clear the area, some protesters "breached security perimeters, blocked the Ayalon Highway, and set fires, while firing fireworks that nearly hit officers," police said.
"The Israel Police strongly condemns the acts of vandalism and violence directed at officers," the statement read. "We will pursue legal action against those responsible to the fullest extent of the law."
The protesters were demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government agree to a cease-fire and hostage-release deal with Hamas.
A general strike called by Israel's largest trade union -- Histadrut -- began on Monday morning in a bid to pressure the government into reaching an accord with the militant group.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and David Brennan