Anger after Knesset members attend racist rally in Tel Aviv
The Israeli activist group Peace Now is demanding the government launch an investigation after three Members of the Knesset, MK, attended an anti-immigrant demonstration in Tel Aviv.
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The demonstration, which attracted several hundred people, took place late on Wednesday night and targeted the immigrant population of southern Tel Aviv, many of whom are from Eritrea and Sudan.
12 arrests were made after two demonstrators attacked a bystander and cars seen to be carrying African immigrants had their windscreens smashed.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing chants of “blacks out”, looting and demonstrators spitting at immigrants, as well as attacking those who attempted to prevent further violence.
The MKs Danny Dannon, Yariv Levin and Miri Regev all attended the demonstration. During an interview with an Israeli news site on Thursday morning, Regev said that she does not condone violence. She was later criticised for describing immigrants as a “cancer” on Israeli society.
There are an estimated 60,000 asylum seekers in Israel, many of whom have fled violent conflict in places such as Sudan. The granting of official refugee status remains a contentious issue for the Israeli state.
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