Netanyahu to meet with Ethiopian community leaders after anti-racism protest

 A protest in Tel Aviv Sunday against racism and police brutality initiated by Ethiopian Israelis left 68 injured and 43 arrested, according to police updates Monday. Of those hurt, 56 were security forces and 12 were demonstrators, police said. Police added that 19 arrested protesters were due to appear in court Monday around noon.Violence engulfed Tel Aviv’s central Rabin Square on Sunday night as thousands of demonstrators rallied following a march across major sectors of the city. The protest came after video footage surfaced last week, depicting two police officers assaulting a an IDF soldier of Ethiopian decent in an apparently unprovoked incident.

The anti-police brutality protest by Israeli Jews of Ethiopian descent spun out of control, with protesters throwing rocks and bottles at police, who fired stun grenades and charged the square repeatedly on horseback.

Also on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to convene a meeting in his office with Ethiopian community leaders and Damas Pakada, the Ethiopian IDF soldier recorded being beaten by police. The premier was set to meet as well with representatives of the all the relevant bodies, including the police, welfare authorities, and representatives of the Ethiopian community, absorption, interior and public security ministries.

Sunday’s protest in Tel Aviv followed a similar one in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Ben Hartman contributed to this report.