Members of the Ethiopian community of Israel face policemen during clashes in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya on July 2, 2019, during a protest against the killing of Solomon Tekah, a young man of Ethiopian origin, who was killed by an off-duty police officer. Image by JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Thousands of Ethiopian Israelis and their supporters demonstrated in cities across Israel on Tuesday night to protest the killing two nights earlier of an Ethiopian teen by an off-duty police officer.

At least 60 protesters were arrested and at least 47 police officers were injured as protesters blocked major intersections throughout the country, halting traffic and public transportation.

Some of the protests became violent and included rock throwing, firebombs and burning tires. Police used riot dispersal methods in some cases to remove the protesters, but also kept a low profile elsewhere to prevent clashes.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Solomon Tekah, 19, was killed Sunday night in Kiryat Haim, in northern Israel. The officer was at a nearby park with his wife and children when he attempted to break up a street brawl. He said the teens threw stones at him and he believed he was in mortal danger. The officer is under house arrest.

Tekah’s funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon.

President Reuven Rivlin in a statement issued late Tuesday night called on “all of us to act responsibly and with moderation.”

“I know that you are doing everything in your power to convey the voice of your protest and to lead a change that is all about righting wrongs and creating a better future. No one wants revenge,” he said.

Rivlin added: “This is not a civil war.”

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount