Over 150 hurt: Israeli police clash with Eritrean asylum seekers in Tel Aviv

Violent Clashes Erupt in Tel Aviv as Eritrean Protesters Clash with Regime Supporters and Israeli Police.

In a distressing turn of events in Tel Aviv, Eritrean protesters clashed with supporters of the Asmara regime, leading to over 150 reported injuries, including 15 serious cases. The chaos unfolded during a demonstration against an official Eritrean government event commemorating the 30th anniversary of their current leader’s rise to power. The event, organized by the Eritrean embassy, quickly escalated into violence that left the city reeling.

Opponents of the regime, donned in blue attire, converged on the scene to protest against the regime’s supporters, who were identifiable by their red clothing. The rallies swiftly devolved into a violent confrontation that persisted for several hours.

Eritrean protesters from both sides armed themselves with construction lumber, pieces of metal, rocks, and even an axe, wreaking havoc in a neighborhood of south Tel Aviv that is home to many asylum seekers. Shop windows were shattered, police cars were vandalized, and bloodstains marred the sidewalks.

Tel Aviv’s police, dressed in riot gear, deployed tear gas, stun grenades, and live rounds to disperse the protesters. Mounted police officers attempted to control the crowds, but the demonstrators managed to breach barricades and hurl rocks at the police. Police reported that they resorted to live fire when they believed their lives were in jeopardy.

The Magen David Adom emergency service reported that among the injured were 30 police officers who sustained light-to-moderate wounds. Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center treated 14 seriously injured individuals, with 11 of them suffering from gunshot wounds, including four who required surgery. Other injuries included stabbings and head wounds. Injured protesters were also transported to the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, although no immediate update on their conditions was available.

Professor Ronni Gamzu, administrator of Ichilov Medical Center, expressed shock at the scale of the mass casualty incident, remarking that he couldn’t recall such an event during his tenure.

The police statement explained that officers fired shots into the air when protesters outside a venue where the Eritrean embassy planned to hold a “festival” breached police barriers on Yad Harutzim Street and began rioting. Officers resorted to live fire when they felt their lives were at risk, resulting in three injuries. It remained unclear whether any civilians were armed with firearms.

According to police, officers were also injured when rioters hurled rocks and wooden planks at them.

The violence was condemned by Haim Bublil, Yarkon District chief, who stated, “It created a situation in which we had to use significant means, including live fire by police officers, a breach of all the norms that we allow.”

To maintain order, hundreds of police officers were deployed to south Tel Aviv, in addition to those already at the scene. Videos circulating on social media depicted street clashes between police and rioters, as well as confrontations between opposing groups of Eritrean nationals.

A senior police officer admitted that they had anticipated some level of violence but were unprepared for the intensity of the unrest, likening the scenes to those seen in the West Bank.

A leader of the Eritrean community, identified as Jonny, claimed that they had warned the police in advance about the potential for disturbances and had requested the cancellation of the embassy event. “We brought dozens of people to the police and asked them to cancel the regime’s event. We said there would be violence. They didn’t listen to us,” he lamented.

This incident is not the first outbreak of violence within the Eritrean migrant community in Tel Aviv, as tensions have previously flared between those supporting the regime in their home country and those opposing it. In 2019, a regime supporter was fatally stabbed and beaten by three other members of the Eritrean community in Tel Aviv.

Approximately 25,000 Eritrean nationals are estimated to reside in Israel, seeking refuge from the oppressive Eritrean government. Eritrea, often referred to as the “North Korea of Africa,” has been marked by a lack of elections, a restricted press, and mandatory, indefinite military service, prompting many to flee the country over the years.

President Isaias Afwerki, who has led Eritrea since its independence from Ethiopia, continues to govern without elections or a free press, further fueling discontent among the population.

By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed