Protesters attack Israeli of Ethiopian origin in rally against African migrants

(May.30, 2012, Ha'aretz)--Dozens in south Tel Aviv call for the deportation of African migrant workers; ‘the black presence is intimidating,” says victim.

An Israeli citizen of Ethiopian origin was assaulted Wednesday evening in Tel Aviv during a demonstration calling for the deportation of African immigrants, just a week following the violent protest in Hatikva neighborhood. Dozens of protesters gathered on Wednesday near the central bus station in south Tel Aviv demanding the deportation of African migrants from Israel.

The protesters were calling “leftists are traitors” and holding up signs saying “south Tel Aviv, not South Sudan.” The right-winged activist Baruch Marzel said that they hope to hold demonstrations on a daily basis, adding that they will not stay quiet “until the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Interior Ministers will start to act, rather than talk.” 

At one point of the demonstration, the protesters attacked Hananya Vanda, an Israeli citizen of Ethiopian origin who they mistakenly identified as an immigrant. After they realized Vanda is Jewish, the protesters said that they did not mean to attack him.

Following the incident, Vanda said that he was just walking by and was photographing the demonstration, and that in Israel “Sudanese are treated just like Ethiopians, the black presence is intimidating.” Read more from Ha'aretz »

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