An estimated 80,000 Israelis gathered at Tel Aviv's Habima Square in intermittent rain on Saturday evening in order to protest the government's plans for reform of Israel's judicial system, after a week of growing tension and harsh rhetoric between the reform's supporters and opposers.
The protest's organizers later said that, according to their estimations, over 100,000 Israelis attended the demonstration at Habima Square. Thousands of people also gathered in Haifa and outside of President Isaac Herzog's residence in Jerusalem, organizers said.
After the central demonstration, about 200 protesters walked on to HaShalom Interchange and tried to move towards the Ayalon Highway, but were stopped by police forces. Smaller groups of protestors attempted to get around the police blockade and were subsequently restrained by police forces.
Chief of police Shabtai continues to receive updates on the demonstrations taking place in several locations across the country, according to Israel Police.
During the protest in Jerusalem, police officers reportedly arrested protesters who flew Palestinian flags, footage shared on Twitter by left-wing activist group Free Jerusalem shows. This comes after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered the police to remove any Palestinian flags flown in public spaces.
The planned reform is being spearheaded by Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionist Party. The plan intends to give the Knesset - Israel's legislative branch - and its government greater control over the judicial system.
This includes giving the Knesset with a 61-MK majority the power to overturn High Court rulings; giving the coalition complete power to appoint High Court judges; cancel the "legal unreasonable factor," which the High Court uses to block decisions made by the government; and making government legal advisors personal appointments of their ministers and block their ability to give binding legal opinions.
'Something has broken'
The president of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, retired High Court judge Ayala Frocaccia, spoke first and said that "something very deep has broken in our social contract, in the framework of rules agreed upon throughout the years of the state."
"We are at the beginning of a new era in which there is a new definition of democracy - not a democracy based on values but a truncated democracy that relies entirely on the 'will of the voter', which no longer gives any weight to other fundamental democratic values.
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