2 policemen injured in haredi protest
Decision by Eda Haredit to start protesting against Intel's Jerusalem facility on weekdays implemented for first time. 'The fast ends so we come to unwind, see some mess,' one protestor says
Two police officers were injured during the rally, one from a firecracker and the other from a stone hurled towards his direction.
The demonstration was moved to Sunday pursuant to a decision reached by the Eda Haredit to start protesting on weekdays instead of on Shabbat. The implementation of the decision was postponed for several weeks due to weather conditions and the Hanukkah holiday.
Some 1000 protestors gathered (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Shmulik, a haredi protestor told Ynet of the reason for the demonstration. "We came to protest against the desecration of Shabbat, we were here on Saturdays too. There is no winning side in war, there are those who lose more and those who lose less, but both parties lose.
"Barkat wants the city to be for young people, these protests cause just the opposite, they damage tourism and therefore the seculars are the losers."
'Seculars are the losers' (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Yohanan, another protestor spoke of a sense of "secular coercion."
"Violating Shabbat is an offense to the haredim's most precious thing. You punch the haredi public in the face and it hurts. They don't give a damn about us, we have no right to say what grieves us. It a trend by a whole system, they want to show at any cost that the haredim have no power.
"They look at us and say 'parasites, go to the army' but we have civil rights in this country. We are not being allowed to express our opinions. I feel humiliated that I am not allowed to express my pain," he said.
'Youngsters are bored'
A substantial part of protestors came for the atmosphere. "Several hours ago the fast ended (the fast of the Tenth of Tevet) so we came here to unwind, to see some mess. Most youngsters here are bored. Of course Shabbat comes first, Shabbat desecration does not dignify Jerusalem or the State of Israel," one protestor said.
In recent months members of the ultra-Orthodox community demonstrated near the Intel plant most every Saturday. They hurled stones at police officers and civilian vehicles, attacked reporters and called officers "Nazis."
Sources at Intel and the Jerusalem Municipality claim that the company has been active in the city for 24 years and its operation does not violate the status quo.
