TEL AVIV, Israel, June 24 (UPI) -- Israeli protest leaders accused the government of trying to silence them after police arrested 85 people at a Tel Aviv protest, officials said.
"The government, and its leader, are trying to de-legitimize the largest social protest in Israel's history," The Jerusalem Post quoted protest leader Stav Shaffrir saying Sunday. Shaffrir denounced the violence at Saturday night's protest in which windows of three banks were smashed and a main highway blocked, and accused the police of using excessive force to disperse the protesters.
Late Saturday night, police arrested 85 protesters and Sunday said criminal charges will be filed against 20 protesters, Ynetnews.com said.
Police commander Yoram Ohayon denied the claims of excessive force, and told the Web site they were left with little choice but to disperse the protesters in order to maintain public order.
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"Two of the rallies did not have permits but we had every intention of allowing them -- we even made sure traffic was undisturbed during the early stages of the rally on Ibn Gvirol (Street). … The problems began when the rioters strayed into the street, started stoning the forces, egging them and then vandalized the banks," he said.
"We have to enforce the law. Protests are legitimate and we will allow them as long as they are held within the law. If we didn't initiate arrests we would have seen looting as well," Ohayon told Ynetnews.com.
Last summer, the social justice protesters made headlines throughout the country after they camped out in tents demanding the government do more to prevent rising costs of food and housing.
