Protesters gathered in Jerusalem for the seventh straight day of protests in the capital and the eighth day of significant protests around the country following an announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he intends to fire the head of Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency), Ronen Bar.

The Israel Police attempted to disperse protesters who blocked multiple entrances to the Knesset as a vote was held on the 2025 budget.

At least six people were initially arrested near the Knesset, according to Maarach Otef Atzurim, a legal aid organization that provides free services to protesters. Another woman was arrested on Tuesday morning while reading out the names of the hostages still in Gaza outside Education Minister Yoav Kisch’s home, the organization said.

A court had the woman released a few hours later because she had not committed any offense, the organization added.

Later on Tuesday, the police said that a total of nine individuals were arrested.

Marching towards the government compound. Banner reads: ''Guarding democracy,'' March 25, 2025. (credit: YAIR PALTI)
Marching towards the government compound. Banner reads: ''Guarding democracy,'' March 25, 2025. (credit: YAIR PALTI)
Additional protests took place over the course of the day and are scheduled to take place during the rest of the week, with some focused primarily on the hostages and others designed to protest the perceived return of the judicial reform.

Bring them home

Protesters in the past week have also called on the government to bring the hostages home. Some have called for the end of the war after Israel renewed attacks in Gaza just a day after the announcement of the planned firing of Bar.

The move to fire Bar is seen as a direct continuation of the contentious judicial reform, as was the Sunday vote of no confidence in Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.

A protest march along Jerusalem's Aza Street towards the Knesset, March 25, 2025. (Credit: @change_dir_il)
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana responded to the protest, calling on law enforcement to use the full extent of the law against demonstrators, who he said were criminals.

Ohana said law enforcement should “not make do with arrests, but bring protesters to justice. There is freedom of expression in the State of Israel, but no one is free to forcibly block the democratic process – that is outside of the bounds of the game.”

The Democrats party head, Yair Golan, responded to Ohana, saying that “if Amir Ohana is looking to arrest and bring to justice those hurting the democratic process, he should look in the mirror.”

“The protesters for the rule of law are not those who are harming democracy,” Golan added, saying that it is “this government that is looting the public coffers and passing a budget for draft dodgers, the corrupt, and loyalists only.”