Thousands demonstrated in Jerusalem and at least 30 people were arrested in protests on Saturday night against Prime Minister Binyanim Netanyahu. The protest in front of the prime minister’s official residence was reported to be the largest in recent weeks, ahead of Sunday’s court hearing on Netanyahu’s request to drop the corruption charges against him. Several protest marches began at different places throughout the city and met at Paris Square, near the prime minister’s residence. The demonstrators told Israeli media that the police used disproportionate force against them. Protests also were held at traffic junctions and highway overpasses throughout the country, according to reports. Earlier on Saturday, police removed a five-meter high, six-ton protest statue, which shows a demonstrator holding an Israeli flag as he is being hit by a stream from a water cannon. Also, on Saturday, 82-year-old protester was hit by a car in the central Israeli city of Kiryat Ono and died in the hospital; he later was identified as Dror Sofer, father of the CEO of Facebook Israel.