Protesters and organizers calling for an end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reign said that Israeli elections will not stop protests and that they will continue to demonstrate and hold events that “will only grow stronger.””Our obligation as citizens during elections is to go out and protest the accused [Netanyahu] and not give him any respite. We must remind him of his failures at handling the coronavirus, the economy and the division of the people [he has caused]. This is a struggle for Israel’s soul – a struggle we must win,” said the Black Flags Movement, one of the movements that organizes the weekly protests against Netanyahu, in a statement Saturday.The Investigate Now movement, an organization demanding an investigation of Case 3000 against Netanyahu, also said that elections will not end protests.”Elections or not – the citizens of Israel deserve to know if the prime minister of Israel dealt in Israel’s security because of greed. This is the most serious security incident since the founding of the country – an incident that if it turns out to be true – will not be forgiven,” said the organization in a statement Saturday.Thousands gathered at protests Saturday night outside of the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, according to Israeli media.Hundreds of cars drove in a protest caravan, travelling to the demonstrations while groups of protesters marched to the residence Saturday night leaving from four different locations in Jerusalem. The Hasphira Leachor (countdown) protest organization held an alternative torch lighting ceremony in protest of the postponement of Netanyahu’s trail and called on the Knesset to legislate a bill that would prevent someone under indictment from serving as prime minister.”For three months we have counted down to the day of Netanyahu’s trail beginning again, and as we were warned, he managed to escape it again,” said the organization. “A shocking nightmare is unfolding before us, in which a full time accused man, who is at a conflict of interest for every decision he makes, is dragging the country to the fourth round of elections in three years,” the organization went on to say.Israel Police detained 20 people and forcibly removed a number of protesters who were blocking traffic and disturbing the peace around the residence, according to a police spokesperson.Protesters and organizers calling for an end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reign (MOVEMENT FOR QUALITY GOVERNMENT IN ISRAEL)..Protesters also gathered at intersections and bridges across the country.No large protest events were scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv and busses took protesters from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in order to increase attendance at the main protest outside the Prime Minister’s Residence after recent reductions in the number of protesters there, Haaretz reported. Anti-Netanyahu protesters gathered at intersections and bridges across Israel (HASPHIRA LEACHOR).. An 82-year-old protester was hit by a car in a traffic accident in the center of the country and died on Saturday night.The Black Flags commented on the recent removal of a statute erected in front of the Prime Minister’s Residence saying, “with Israel going to elections, the authorities are removing anti-government artwork without permission.”Police removed a statue depicting an anti-Netanyahu protester that was illegally installed at Paris Square in Jerusalem on Friday, Ynet reported. The bronze statue – reaching a height of five meters and weighing six tons – was named Gibor Israel (Israel’s hero), which refers to a decoration for valor received in the IDF. It depicts a protester holding an Israeli flag as he’s hit by gushing water from a water cannon vehicle for dispersing protests.
Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.
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