Tel Aviv District Police arrested two suspects near Tikva Market in south Tel Aviv on suspicion of being involved in an assault against activists, including Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Chen Arieli, police confirmed on Friday.
A number of people gathered around the activists, who had set up a stand, and physically and verbally attacked them, Israel Police added.
The suspects were taken in for questioning, police noted.
‘We are not even able to meet and have a conversation’
Arieli was at the stand with youth activists from the Democrats Party, the deputy mayor wrote on social media after the event. She explained that the goal of the stand was to “speak openly and honestly, even with those who do not necessarily agree with us.”
תסתכלו על הסרטון הזה ועל האלימות שספגנו ברגעים אלה כשהגעתי עם פעילי הדמוקרטים הצעירים לשוק התקווה לדבר באופן פתוח וכנה גם עם מי שלא בהכרח מסכים איתנו. זאת התוצאה של שלטון נתניהו שמפלג וזורע שנאה בתוך העם. שמעדיף את הכסא שלו ומפעיל שטיפות מוח עד כדי שאנחנו לא מצליחים לפגוש אפילו… pic.twitter.com/LkNO3lbPB3
— Chen Arieli חן אריאלי (@ArieliChen) July 3, 2026
The deputy mayor claimed that the attackers beat them, spat on them, and verbally assaulted them.
“This is the result of the Netanyahu government that divides and sows hatred within the people,” Arieli said. “[A government] that upholds its own [interests] and engages in brainwashing to the point where we are unable to even meet one another on a Friday afternoon and have a conversation.”
