Ethiopian Israeli protests: One hurt in hit and run in central Israel
Demonstrator evacuated to hospital in moderate condition; violence erupts across the country as thousands take to the streets after funeral for teenager killed by off-duty policeman in Haifa area
A 28-year-old protester was moderately hurt in a hit and run that occurred while he was blocking Highway 431 near the central city of Lod on Tuesday evening.
The wounded man was evacuated to a nearby hospital.
The man was part of the mass protests by the Ethiopian community across Israel, following the funeral for a teenager shot dead by an off-duty police officer in the Haifa district on Sunday.
Solomon Tekah, aged 19, was killed when the policeman, who was walking with his family intervened in a street brawl. The policeman, who was arrested and placed on house arrest, said that he feared for his own life and those of his family.
Violence also broke out at other protests across the country Tuesday, leaving at least 40 people wounded. Around 60 people were arrested in total at locations all over Israel.
Protesters hurled a Molotov cocktail at a police station in the Haifa district. The fire was quickly put out. Other protesters in the area were hurling rocks at the police.
Police officers were also attacked in the southern city of Ashdod. At least 10 protesters were arrested. In the coastal city of Netanya, at least one police car was attacked.
In Tel Aviv, protesters outside the Azrieli shopping center set fire to a car and began attacking other vehicles in the area. They also blocked the nearby junction to the Ayalon Highway that encircles the city.
The protests caused massive traffic jams across the country with some 50,000 commuters stuck in massive tailbacks.
The road authority said that even when the roads are cleared, it would take hours to remove the rocks and other debris thrown by protesters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video calling for the protesters to stop blocking traffic.
