A group of extreme leftwing activists who identified themselves as “Antifa,” the Antifaschistische Aktion, a militant extremist extra-parliamentary network in Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and other countries, whose stated goal is to “smash fascism in all its forms,” on Wednesday night attacked a rally of twelfth-graders and a few adults who were marching in support of the medic Sergeant Elor Azaria [who is on trial for shooting a neutralized terrorist] from the Habima theater to the Kirya, where the IDF headquarters are located. Among the injured in the attack was former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari who was evacuated to the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
According to a police statement, the rally was attacked near the Kirya area by “five suspects who masked their faces, as one of them sprayed the marchers with tear gas.” The five attackers were eventually apprehended.
Ben Ari told Walla that “at the Sarona plaza we were suddenly attacked by ten leftwingers. They started to yell at us, they came with a megaphone and yelled, ‘Azaria is a murderer’ and attacked us with tear gas. They poured purple paint on my clothes, something acidy, my whole body was burning. I was smashed on the head with a stick. I’m suffering dizziness now. I hope the police will know how to take care of this leftwing hooliganism.”
Ben Ari accused police of incompetence in handling the attack, saying he had alerted them well in advance of the attack, after seeing the masked men approaching. He said police ignored his warnings that a provocation was about to take place.
The Antifa group boasted on its Facebook page Wednesday night: “Fascists who arrived in Tel Aviv to demonstrate support for Elor Azaria, the murdering soldier from Hebron, were received with a traditional antifascist reception. Kahanism is fascism. The army is a murderer. Those who kicked them away did well. And it’s not the first time. It’s interesting to know when will they learn.”
Ben Ari’s Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Might) group released a statement saying the attack Wednesday “crossed a very serious red line. Were the case reversed (meaning if rightwingers had done the spraying) all the knights of the rule of law would have been shocked and demanded police to apply the full wrath of the law to the rioters. We will not stop acting on behalf of releasing the soldier and hooliganism will not win.”
Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday night appealed to the Attorney General to outlaw the Antifa organization. Ben-Gvir wrote: “There is no doubt that police incompetence regarding the activities of leftwingers is encouraging them to attack and to riot. If these were [rightwing organization] Lehava activists there is no doubt they would have been held in jail until the end of the proceedings.”
Ben-Gvir added, “At a time when the Shabak is investing the bulk of its efforts in locating 15-year-olds who walk around with magic markers writing slogans, it would be appropriate to take action and to outlaw the band of thugs who attack youths wishing to march in support of IDF soldiers.”