On Saturday, Tel Aviv witnessed a violent clash between supporters and opponents of the Eritrean government, resulting in numerous injuries and widespread destruction. This incident marked one of the most intense confrontations among African asylum seekers and migrants in the city’s recent history.
Among the casualties were 30 police officers and three demonstrators struck by police gunfire. Both sides, composed of Eritrean nationals, armed themselves with construction materials, pieces of metal, rocks, and even an axe, causing havoc in a neighborhood inhabited by many asylum seekers. Protesters vandalized shopfronts and police vehicles, leaving bloodstains on the sidewalks. In a distressing scene, a government supporter lay injured in a pool of blood within a children’s playground.
Israeli law enforcement, clad in riot gear, responded with tear gas, stun grenades, and live ammunition. Mounted officers tried to restore order as protesters breached barricades and hurled rocks at the police. Authorities clarified that live ammunition was used only when officers perceived a life-threatening situation.
Initially, both Eritrean government supporters and opponents had obtained permits for separate events on Saturday and had committed to maintaining distance between their gatherings.
By late Saturday afternoon, the clashes had subsided, but police continued to detain protesters, transporting them on buses for further processing. Notably, anti-government demonstrators wore sky-blue shirts featuring Eritrea’s 1952 flag, symbolizing their opposition to the country’s government. In contrast, government supporters donned purple shirts adorned with a map of Eritrea.
It’s crucial to recognize that Eritreans constitute the majority of the over 30,000 African asylum seekers residing in Israel. These clashes occurred simultaneously with Eritrean government supporters commemorating the 30th anniversary of their current leader’s rise to power near the Eritrean embassy in Tel Aviv, while opponents were allowed to hold a separate event.
Despite assurances that both sides would remain separated during their events, these commitments were eventually broken, according to Chaim Bublil, a Tel Aviv police commander. Eritrea’s notorious human rights record fuels the fears of asylum seekers in Israel and other countries who dread the prospect of returning to their homeland.