About 10,000 haredim took to Jerusalem’s streets Sunday evening in protest of the gay pride parade scheduled to take place in the city Thursday. At least eight people, seven of them policemen, were injured in clashes between the protestors and the police; 10 people were arrested.
About 1,300 police officers secured the scene of the rally. According to rally organizers, dozens of elite police unit officers dressed as haredim were planted inside the crowd.
Rabbi speaks at rally in Jerusalem (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)
Rabbi Yitzhak Weiss warned participants of the rally, “Anyone who helps the evil will be judged.” Another rabbi told the crowd, “If we protest with all our hearts, maybe some of the evil will be dissuaded from doing their evil.”
During the demonstration, a few haredim torched a dumpster, and dozens confronted police forces after the rally ended.
In recent nights, haredim were caught burning trash bins and stoning police officers in haredi neighborhoods. On Sunday afternoon, police caught four 10-year-old haredi children stoning private vehicles.
No one was injured, and no damages were sustained as a result of the children’s stone throwing.
Several dozen haredim gathered at Shivtei Israel Street in Jerusalem, blocked the street with garbage bins and set some of them on fire in protest of plans to hold the gay pride parade in town next week. Police extinguished the fire shortly after and re-opened the street for traffic.
Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco informed the Open House organization Wednesday that he decided to approve their request to hold the gay pride parade in the capital next week.
Some 7,000 police officers are expected to secure the parade.
Aviram Zino contributed to this article
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