Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport floods with protesters, 15 detained
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Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport floods with protesters, 15 detained
Anti-judicial overhaul demonstrators who managed to penetrate the main terminal of Ben Gurion International Airport clashed with police who were trying to push them out of the building.
Anti-government protesters march at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Lod on July 3, 2023. — JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images
At least 15 people were detained by the Israel Police Monday afternoon for disturbing public order after breaking into Ben-Gurion International Airport's main terminal (terminal 3) and demonstrating there against the government-planned judicial overhaul. More than 1,000 police officers are deployed at the airport area.
About 200 protesters entered the building on the ground floor where arriving passengers exit. Most of them were eventually evacuated by the police. Videos published by the protest movement showed police attempting to carry and drag away demonstrators from inside the building. Pictures also showed demonstrators with bleeding noses. Some of the protesters sat on the ground or lay down to prevent being removed from the site. Resisting efforts by police to evacuate them, the protesters who penetrated the building sang the Israeli national anthem "Hatikva" and shouted "democracy."
A spokesperson for the Israel Police said that "the police emphasize that this is a blatant violation of public order, harming the security roads and an attack on officers, and we'll work to bring down the full severity of the law on those involved."
Thousands of people arrived Monday afternoon at the airport area to disturb incoming and outgoing traffic and paralyze the airport just as summer vacation began. The protesters arrived one hour earlier than the time originally scheduled for the demonstration in an attempt to surprise the police and advance as much as possible toward the main terminal. Giant traffic jams were created on the road leading to the airport compound and inside the compound. Protesters lined both sides of the service road leading from the entrance of the airport compound to the terminal building and also completely filled the parking area situated just outside the arrival floor.
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