Israel braces for more protests over police killing of youth

Jerusalem: Israel braced for a third day of protests Wednesday after an off-duty police officer killed a young man of Ethiopian origin, as Israeli leaders urged calm amid accusations of racism.
Since Monday in areas throughout the country, protesters have blocked roads, burned tyres and denounced what they see as discrimination against the Ethiopian-Israeli community.
Police say 136 people have been arrested and 111 officers have been wounded, many injured by stones, bottles and petrol bombs thrown at them.
Footage of major intersections being blocked by protesters burning tyres — causing massive traffic jams — has dominated news coverage in Israel over the last couple days. A number of cars were also burned.
Police have allowed demonstrators to block roads in some locations to keep direct confrontations to a minimum and avoid setting off further tensions, but signalled overnight they were prepared to act more forcefully.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called for calm late Tuesday with new protests expected later Wednesday.