Law Enforcement Increased Efforts Hours Before Lockdown Lifts in Tel Aviv

A couple of hours before the third lockdown was lifted in Israel, the Police of Israel was witnessed patrolling the streets of Tel Aviv, in the evening on Saturday. The fact that the multiple movement restrictions were going to be lifted, had brought the citizens out of their homes in anticipation. Therefore, law enforcement officials were threatening individuals to return home or they would be fined. 

Reports revealed that people were forced to go home even if they were able to prove that their place of residence was just within a distance of 1 kilometer, according to the restriction. As of now, the guidelines permit people to remain outside of their homes, only if they live less than a single kilometer away from where they are currently standing. 

As per the report, the Israeli Police was targeting only a few specific areas in the city of Tel Aviv. They believe that these areas will bring out people in droves, causing large gatherings to develop. 

A woman had gone for a simple walk near her place of residence on the Dizengoff Center. She stated that even if a handful of people were gathered, police officials were quick to disperse them. They did not want any kind of gatherings to develop, even if the square was empty and people were adhering to coronavirus guidelines. She recalled that she was wearing a mask and keeping her distance, however, an official told her to go home. Upon arguing, she was presented with an apology and the officer told her that there was nothing he could do about it. 

Sources revealed that Tel Aviv Promenade, which is right alongside the beach, and Dizengoff Square, saw the most police activity. People in these areas were asked to return to their place of residence. Gatherers were offended at the fact that they were forced to go back home even if they were just a kilometer away. 

A jogger was especially infuriated that the police were harassing the people present. He had been jogging in the Promenade in Tel Aviv, when he saw that law enforcement officials were bothering two girls to go home. The women had just finished with their work out and had been looking to rest for a couple of minutes. 

The third lockdown is scheduled to be lifted on the 7th of February on Sunday at 7 am in the morning. 

From midnight of Thursday, the closure restrictions in the country were intensified, as well as their enforcement. 24 checkpoints had been deployed by officials on intercity roads. Previously, more than 200 checkpoints had been placed within different cities in the country. 

These intensified restrictions had been expected by the citizens in Israel at the time. This was because the government was hoping to increase the number of reports by at least 60%. The majority of the public was expected to remain within at least one kilometer of their place of residence.