Police used water cannons to disperse anti-government demonstrators blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. The blockade of northbound traffic followed the weekly anti-government rally held on Kaplan Street, which is situated just to the west of the Ayalon Highway, according to Times of Israel.
In an attempt to prevent the protesters from reaching the Ayalon Highway from the west, the police had deployed officers. However, dozens of protesters managed to approach the highway from the east. The demonstrators descended from an embankment, walking past a few officers onto the road, causing the northbound traffic to slow down significantly.
At least one water cannon truck was deployed, and its crew activated the device, driving back some of the protesters while others continued to chant slogans. A police officer was seen directing traffic around the roadside disturbance. During the commotion, a flare was hurled by the protesters, bringing all traffic to a halt.
This scene is not unusual for the protests that have become a regular occurrence on Kaplan Street and the Ayalon Highway. Several weekly rallies have culminated in the temporary shutdown of traffic and have often resulted in violent clashes between protesters and the police. Mounted police units and water cannon crews have frequently been used to manage and disperse the crowds.
The persistence and intensity of these protests reflect the deep-seated discontent among segments of the population regarding the government’s policies. The demonstrators' willingness to repeatedly confront the authorities and disrupt major thoroughfares underscores the level of frustration and the lengths to which they are willing to go to voice their opposition.