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Aflame. Jerusalem, Sunday
Photo: Shimon Bigelman

Riots resume in Jerusalem; haredim torch dumpsters

Ultra-Orthodox protest against municipality's intention to keep parking lot open on Shabbat continues with resumed riots against police arrests. Some of capital's streets closed off after protestors set trash bins on fire

The haredi riots in Jerusalem in protest of the municipality's decision to open a city parking lot on Shabbat resumed Sunday afternoon, despite attempts to pacify the situation.

 

The Jerusalem Police was forced to close off the capital's Shivtei Israel and Yehezkel streets, after dozens of haredim set dumpsters on fire, in protest of the arrests made during Saturday's riots. Mass police presence was noted on the scene.

 

Tens of thousands of haredim took part in a mass prayer held on Bar Ilan Road on Friday evening.

 

Saturday saw hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protestors riot in the capital's streets against the decision to open a parking lot on Shabbat – a move the municipality said was meant to resolve the growing parking distress plaguing the city on weekends.

 

Fifty-seven people were arrested during several violent demonstrations Saturday, the majority of whom were detained in the haredi neighborhood of Mea Shearim.


Friday evening's protest (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

 

Hundreds of protestors gathered in the neighborhood, hurling rocks, cans, bottles and fruit at police forces, before setting dumpsters a blaze.

 

Also Saturday, about 1,000 people gathered at Jerusalem's Safra Square in order to express their support for the decision to open the parking lot on Shabbat.

 

Several people were injured during Saturday's clashes between police forces and demonstrators: A 20-year-old haredi man was taken to Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in serious condition after falling off a three-meter fence, and a six-year-old boy was lightly injured.

 

Five police officers also sustained mild injuries.

  

Ronen Medzini contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.28.09, 15:51
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