Police raided and dispersed an illegal, mass wedding at an event hall in south Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, which violated the country's restrictions on mass gatherings due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Police officers and municipal inspectors who patrolled the area near the event hall noticed that there were people around the complex, despite the place looking as though it was closed.
Police raid wedding in south Tel Aviv
(Video: Israel Police )
After their request to enter the venue was denied, the officers broke in and saw that a wedding with at least 100 attendees was taking place, while the hall's employees attempted to make the place look as though it was shuttered in order to mask the illegal event.
The police issued a fine of NIS 5,000 to one of the hall’s employees, who claimed the owner of the hall was abroad and that she had come to open the place instead of him.
One of the officers then confronted the groom, asking him why he chose to hold the event in violation of the health guidelines.
In response, the groom reasoned that most of the guests have received two doses of the vaccine and are therefore immune to COVID-19.
A police source said that both the groom and the bride have each been fined NIS 5,000.
"A police force from the Jaffa station and the municipal inspectors of the Tel Aviv district who arrived at the scene noticed more than 100 participants, including families, children and the hall staff,” said the police in a statement.
“Later, the police dispersed the wedding, fined the hosts and the hall owner and distributed six fines of NIS 5,000 each, shuttered the hall and invited the owner of the place to a hearing at the police station."