Thousands of Israelis took to the streets Saturday evening to protest against the government's proposed judicial reform plans for a 13th consecutive week.
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According to reports, some 450,000 demonstrators joined various protests in Tel Aviv and elsewhere in Israel. Earlier, organizers said protests were planned in 150 locations across the country.
The demonstrations were held despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu putting the legislation on hold to allow for negotiations on a compromise package on Monday.
Protest organizers previously said they would continue to hold demonstrations until the proposed plan is canceled completely. Currently, the legislation is scheduled to be resumed after the Passover festival.
Saturday's anti-reform protests came two days after those in favor of the government's plan held their own rallies. Tens of thousands of Israelis in support of the reform took to the streets on Thursday, the second such march since Netanyahu paused the legislation.
Waving flags of Netanyahu's Likud party, some 20,000 protestors marched through Tel Aviv, the site of the largest anti-government protests over the last few months. "The nation demands legal reform!" chanted some of the demonstrators in the counter-protest.
The right-wing Im Tirtzu group organized the "March for Freedom" with the aim of "being freed from the restraints of the High Court," declaring that the people "have chosen judicial reform."
Many marchers carried signs bearing the words "I'm a second-class citizen" or "They're stealing the election," as some marched onto Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway, blocking traffic.
"You see here people demanding their democratic right. We want our voice to be heard, families are here saying we voted, that's democracy," a protestor told i24NEWS.
Israel Police said it deployed a large number of officers to the route – the scene of almost weekly blockages by protestors who see Netanyahu's plan as a threat to judicial independence.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
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