This archive report was first published on 3 July 2019.
On July 3, 2019, protests erupted in Israel as Ethiopian-Israeli demonstrators took to the streets to express their grievances against police brutality and marginalization.
The protests were sparked by the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Solomon Tekah by an off-duty policeman on Sunday. The incident has reignited long-standing tensions between the Ethiopian-Israeli community and the Israeli police.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences over the young man's death but appealed to the protesters to stop blocking road junctions. However, the protesters remained defiant, calling for police reform and an end to racial profiling.
According to police, 47 officers were injured and 60 demonstrators were detained as they cleared 15 road junctions. The protests had brought the country 'to a standstill,' as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
One protester told AFP, 'We'll do whatever we can to make sure police will stop killing people because of their skin colour.' The officer accused of killing Solomon Tekah has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter.
However, an eyewitness quoted by Ha'aretz newspaper disputed the police account, claiming that the officer had threatened the youths with his weapon first.
