Nine Haredim indicted following protests
In the aftermath of violent ultra-Orthodox protests last week, which included blocking of roads across Israel, rock throwing and setting fire to garbage cans, 9 were indicted for various offenses.
Indictments were submitted against nine Haredi protesters Sunday, following the mass ultra-Orthodox protests that turned violent last week over a Haredi IDF soldier who was arrested and imprisoned for desertion.
The protests, which were led by the Lithuanian-Jerusalem stream headed by Rabbi Auerbach, began last Tuesday and spread nation-wide, resulting scores of arrests and violent incidents.
One of the defendants, Amram Margalit, 27, was charged with rioting on Shivtei Yisrael Street in Jerusalem last week, during which he, along with other protesters, rolled a large dumpster into the street and blocking traffic.
In addition, Margalit hurled a rock at a mounted police officer. The Prosecution has asked to extend his remand until the end of procedures.
According to the indictments issued by the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, Natan Papenheim, 36, and Yona David Pearl, 40, from Beit Shemesh were accused of not adhering to the police officers' orders to disperse an illegal gathering on Nahar HaYarden Street, and violently resisting arrest.
Moreover, Shalom Yaacov Friedman was charged with rioting, lighting a newspaper on fire and tossing the burning paper into a garbage can.
Five others were charged with rioting as well and road blocking in the Beit Shemesh area. They are set to be released on house arrest.
Police arrested a total of 67 Haredim since the beginning of the protests. Protesters in Bnei Brak, 15 of whom were arrested, sought to block central junctions while several protesters hurled an array of objects at the police officers, lightly injuring at least 2 of them.
Seven protesters were arrested in Jerusalem and five in Beit Shemesh for disturbing the peace and attempting to block roads. The protests continued late into the night, during which 18 more rioters were arrested.
Another protest took place last week in Jerusalem in the Shabbat Square which followed the same pattern as the others, seeing the blocking of streets as garbage cans were set on fire rocks were thrown at officers.
There were no injuries in the protests, but 13 suspects were arrested, two of whom were teenagers.
Minister of Public Defense Gilad Erdan addressed the rioting at the end of last week, during which an IDF soldier was attacked by a crowd of Haredim, either before or after using pepper spray against them.
"Those pictures showing an IDF soldier being brutally attacked by dozens of Haredim are appalling," he said.
"The circumstances surrounding the soldier's use of pepper spray should also be examined. However, there is no justification for the extreme violence. I have instructed the police to do everything in their power to bring the outlaws to justice. Their place is behind bars. Anyone who hurts our soldiers must pay a hefty price."
Attorney Erez Padan, department director at the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, stated: "We filed indictments today against nine defendants for disturbance of peace, road blocking, and assault on police officers. These join the others filed last week, in an effort to continue maintaining the public peace and preventing mass delinquency. Protests and demonstrations are fine, bullying and violence are not."
