A 26-year old man is in police custody after he attempted to drive his car into a group of anti government protesters in Beer Sheva on Tuesday.
According to the protesters, the driver had two wheels already on the sidewalk where they were standing, when he was stopped.
He then emerged from his car shouting at the group calling them anarchists and Ashkenazis. Police officers who were witness to the event, detained the driver and took him away for questioning.
Dozens of supporters of former prime minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party participated in the protest.
One of them said they believed the driver intended to ram into them and he had been genuinely frightened.
Since the establishment of the new government, protesters have come out against the policies announced including what is seen as an assault against the judicial system.
In a meeting with senior police officers on Monday, newly appointed minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he demands a strong hand against protesters who violate the law. It was later reported that he urged the force to use measures of crowd dispersal against left-wing demonstrators in Tel Aviv.
On Monday, a Jerusalem resident was arrested after former diaspora minister Elazar Stern reported that he received a call from an unidentified number with threats on his life.
"You are inciting against the government. If you persist, you will receive a grenade to your home," the caller said.
"This and other such incidents are proof of the real dangers of inciteful and violent rhetoric," Stern said. "I call on my friends from the coalition to lower the flames and condemn any violent expression," he said.