National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir held a "special meeting and support talk" on Wednesday with members of the Tel Aviv District YASAM riot police unit.
According to the minister's office, the meeting will be held following recent incidents and in light of a Police Internal Investigations Unit investigation into several of the unit's officers, including the district YASAM commander.
Ben-Gvir told the officers that he gave them full support against criticism after they used force during a confrontation with anti-government protesters.
"I came to tell you on the country and government's behalf, thank you very much. You are our heroes. On my watch, you will have support, my job is to come here and thank you and back you up," the minister told the riot police officers.
He criticized the Police Internal Investigations Unit's conduct. "I do not support police brutality, but in the videos I saw, I saw the use of reasonable force. The YASAM commander is at the Internal Investigations Unit, I don't get it - they want the streets of Tel Aviv to be a free-for-all? The Internal Investigations Unit's conduct is bewildering to me."
"I've never seen such a situation where they take people for interrogation for hours upon hours. Don't let the Internal Investigations Unit scare you from doing your jobs," Ben-Gvir told the YASAM members.
Tel Aviv district commander Deputy Commissioner Peretz Amar was not present since, according to sources close to him, the meeting was scheduled on short notice, and he was already scheduled to meet with bereaved families.
The organizers of the anti-government protests attacked the minister's statements and said: "Ben-Gvir wants protesters' blood in the streets. He is encouraging violent police officers and is trying to tear the police apart from the inside while inciting against the Internal Investigations Unit. The Commissioner must do something and straighten out the lines."
Tel Aviv YASAM commander Chief Superintendent Yair Hanuna was interrogated together with four additional officers on Wednesday Police Internal Investigations Unit for allegations of using violence against protesters in three separate incidents.
Hanuna was filmed allegedly punching an 18-year-old man, Amitai Avodi, during a protest on the Ayalon Hwy. in Tel Aviv. Aside from Avodi, two additional complaints were lodged against Hanuna by anti-government protesters.