July 2019 Ethiopian Jews protest in Israel
The July 2019 Ethiopian Jews protest in Israel was a period of unrest initiated by Ethiopian Jews in response to the shooting death of 18-year-old Solomon Teka at the hands of an Israeli police officer in Kiryat Haim, Haifa.
| July 2019 Ethiopian Jews protest | |
|---|---|
Protest of Ethiopian Israelis on 3 July 2019 | |
| Date | July 2019 |
| Location | |
| Caused by | Killing of a young Ethiopian-Israeli by police officer |
| Goals | To stop police brutality against Ethiopian Israelis |
| Methods | Demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, sit-ins, self-immolations |
| Status | Ended |
Tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jewish protesters clashed with Israeli police and blocked at least 15 intersections across Israel, while thousands of people were stuck in traffic congestion. According to police, the clashes between protesters and police caused a total of at least 110 officers and 26 rioters getting injured, and at least 130 demonstrators getting arrested.
At first the police did not act firmly against the protesters. A few hours later, after recognizing that events were spiraling out of control, they began to employ riot dispersal methods, including the use of tear gas and stun grenades. Teka's family made a request to the demonstrators to stop protesting out of respect to the shiva (mourning period), which began immediately after their son's funeral on 3 July, and the protests were put on hold. However, three days later, Ethiopian community leaders decided to restart nationwide demonstrations.