Birds on the Brain

thepeoplesrecord:

Two parallel Tel Aviv demonstrations protest austerity measures

August 5, 2012

Social justice activists held two parallel demonstrations in Tel Aviv to protest new Israeli government austerity measures.

Some 2,000 participants attended a demonstration Saturday night at the Tel Aviv Museum organized by several established social protest organizations, the Israeli business daily Globes reported. The rally also called for universal military conscription.

The other demonstration, which also had about 2,000 participants but was not sponsored by any specific organizations, marched through the city, ultimately joining the Tel Aviv Museum demonstration.

Eight protesters were arrested for blocking roads and violence toward police officers.

Supporters of the two demonstrations scuffled as participants in the second demonstration attempted to mount the stage of the museum protest.

“We serve in the army, we pay taxes, we volunteer. We’re in all the places the state forgot about and, mostly, we’re willing to sacrifice everything,” said Itzik Shmueli, chairman of the National Student Union. 

Shmueli added that the Netanyahu government has “breached the agreement you made with the people. An agreement that says that if we work hard, you will let us live in dignity.”

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