Left-wing demonstration in Tel Aviv (archive)
Left-wing demonstration in Tel Aviv (archive)Tomer Neuberg/FLASH90

JTA - Thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to protest government corruption, mainly investigations into Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

It was the second Saturday night in a row that the demonstrators have gathered in Tel Aviv, starting near Independence Hall on the main thoroughfare Rothschild Boulevard.

The protests have been dubbed the “March of Shame.” Among the signs carried by protesters were: “Out with the corrupt,” “Not leftist, not rightist, but honest,” “Being a pig isn’t kosher,” and “Bibi go home.”

Many were protesting a bill currently making its way through the Knesset that would prevent police from going public with their recommendations of indictments against a sitting prime minister. Netanyahu currently is under investigation in two corruption scandals. Last week Netanyahu asked the bill’s drafters to reword the bill so that it does not apply to the two current investigations.

The demonstrations in Tel Aviv came after a year’s worth of Saturday night demonstrations in front of the Petah Tikva home of Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, to protest what they say is a slow-down in investigating the allegations against the prime minister.

Various reports said 10,000 and up to 25,000 people came out for the Saturday night protest. Demonstrations also were held in Nahariya, Hadera, Afula, Netanya, Rishon LeZion, Modi’in, Jerusalem and Beersheba, according to Ynet.

The Tel Aviv protesters marched to several areas of the city, including the Habima Theater and the Kirya military headquarters, leading to the shutdown of several city streets.

Netanyahu’s Likud Party issued a statement criticizing the protest. “Instead of uniting behind Jerusalem, along with all other Israelis, thus presenting a united front to the world, the left cannot help itself and prefers dealing in divisiveness,” the statement said.