Occupied Jerusalem: Scuffles broke out in occupied Jerusalem Thursday between security forces and around 2,000 Ethiopian protesters demanding an investigation into alleged police brutality against Africans living in Israel.
The demonstrators were seen trying to march on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence but were blocked off by a heavy police deployment equipped with a water cannon.
Police had earlier fired tear gas to keep the crowd at bay and four policemen were injured by stone-throwers, a police spokeswoman said.
The demonstrators also blocked key roads in the city, angered by incidents in which police and inspectors from Israel’s immigration authorities beat Ethiopian Jews.
In one case, they apparently mistook the victim living in the south of the country for an illegal immigrant.
Protesters blocked traffic and the light rail system at a major junction in the city, holding up banners reading: “Stop police brutality, stop racism” and “Today it’s him, tomorrow it’s you!”
Police were out in force, including riot police and officers on horseback, and scuffles broke out as more demonstrators joined the rally.
The protest came as the media reported on the alleged assault of an Israeli of Ethiopian descent in the southern city of Beersheva.
Speaking to Ynet news website, Walla Bayach said immigration officers had attacked him thinking he was an illegal immigrant.
But the immigration authority accused him of assaulting its officers after asking him for identification papers, Ynet said.
A separate video that surfaced last week showed police officers assaulting an Ethiopian serving in the Israeli army, who was wearing his military fatigues at the time of the attack.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called for an investigation.
