Thousands of Ethiopian Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv Wednesday to protest racism and police brutality days after a young community member was shot dead by an officer.
Carrying signs accusing the police of “murder”, the protestors blocked main intersections in the Israeli commercial capital ahead of a march to a central protest.
Now in central Tel Aviv: Ethiopian Israelis fighting police brutality and racism pic.twitter.com/bmmpy1XbAm
— Haggai Matar (@Ha_Matar) January 30, 2019
Yehuda Biadga, reportedly in his early 20s, was shot dead on January 18 in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, after rushing at a police officer holding a knife, according to eyewitnesses.
His mother, Mamia Biadga, had called the police to subdue her son who reportedly suffered from a mental condition but says officers used excessive force.
Thousands of Ethiopian-Israelis took to the streets to protest against police brutality in Israel. Minutes ago, they held a moment of silence in memory of Yehuda Biadga, a 24-year-old man who was shot dead by a police officer in Bat Yam last week. Photos by @OrenZiv1985 pic.twitter.com/H2ji3Vl25G
— +972 Magazine (@972mag) January 30, 2019
Israel’s Ethiopian community now numbers around 140,000 people, including more than 50,000 born in the Jewish state.
The community has consistently alleged institutionalized racism.
(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
