Hundreds of Israelis protested on Saturday evening against Benjamin Netanyahu outside his Jerusalem residence as the Israeli prime minister faces corruption charges.
On Friday, the demonstration was fuelled by the detention of seven protesters who held a smaller rally against Netanyahu’s continuation as premier despite being under indictment.
The protesters were holding banners, describing Netanyahu as “crime minister”.
On Saturday, Israeli police said the protest a day earlier was “illegal” because demonstrators blocked the roads.
Three of the protesters, including retired Brig. Gen. Amir Haskel, remained in detention for refusing the police’s release terms and insisting on participating in Saturday’s protest, Israeli media reported.
Last month, Netanyahu was sworn back into office as head of a rare national unity government, was expected to attend the opening session of the trial.
Netanyahu, a hardline leader of the right-wing Likud party, has served as the Prime Minister since 2009.
Under the three-year deal, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for 18 months, with Gantz as his alternate, a new position in Israeli governance.
Earlier, Israelis protested in Tel Aviv against the unity government, the latest in a string of dozens of rallies against a government in which Netanyahu serves as the Prime Minister.
The protesters said that a person indicted with criminal charges should not lead the government.
He was indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. His trial was scheduled to begin in the Jerusalem District Court.