Tel Aviv [Israel], September 3: Dozens of people have been injured, including some from live gunfire, during clashes between Eritrean asylum seekers and Israeli police in Tel Aviv.
Stun grenades, tear gas and sponge-tipped bullets were used against hundreds of protesters.
The unrest was sparked after activists opposed to the Eritrean government said they asked Israeli authorities to cancel an embassy event on Saturday.
But protesters also clashed with supporters of the Eritrean regime.
An investigation has been opened into whether the use of live fire was within the law, with evidence being gathered at the scene.
The divisions within Eritrea over the rule of President Isaias Afwerki have spilled over into the diaspora, and this is the latest outbreak of violence in recent weeks.
According to Israeli news reports, the demonstrators marched towards a venue where the event was due to take place. They were initially held back by police barricades but later managed to break through them.
Residents said the streets of central Tel Aviv sounded like a war zone as police helicopters buzzed overhead and Israeli officers fired live rounds into the air.
Protesters fought with police, damaged cars and smashed the windows of nearby businesses.
A statement by Israeli police said that officers used their guns as they felt their lives were in danger. It added that 27 were injured.
Photos from inside the hall that had been hired by Eritrean diplomats for the event showed tables and chairs overturned after angry demonstrators broke in.
Videos shared on social media also showed street battles between Eritreans who support the regime in their home country, and those who oppose it. Israeli police said they tried to separate the two sides.
In a message put out on X, previously known as Twitter, the police asked uninvolved members of the public to stay away from the scene.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
