Protesters in Jaffa on Monday
Photo: Dalit Shacham
Haredi protests in Jaffa resume; 40 arrested
Graves causing riots again as haredim demonstrate in Jaffa against construction work they say is desecrating ancient tombs
Ultra-orthodox demonstrations in Jaffa resumed on Monday as dozens of haredi protesters gathered on Yeffet Street to demonstrate against construction works they say were damaging graves in the area. After refusing to comply with police's requests to disperse, some 40 protesters were detained.
The day before, haredim protested against the construction work in Jaffa, in concurrence with demonstrations in Ashkelon and Jerusalem against the removal of ancient tombs from the Barzilai Medical Center complex.
'Will not take law into own hands' (Photo: Dalit Shacham)
On Monday, haredim arrived in Jaffa with organized transport once again and gathered on Yeffet Street, adjacent to the construction site. The protesters called to stop the construction and said it was desecrating the graves.
Yiftach District Police deployed with force and warned protesters against holding an unlawful assembly. They began making arrests shortly after, when one of the protesters tried to intercept a tractor working on the site.
"We will not have people take the law into their own hands," said sources at the Tel Aviv Ditrict Police. "The protestors were arrested and will be questioned. After that we'll decide how to act against them."
On Sunday, police arrested 27 haredim for rioting in Jaffa, three of which were brought in front of a judge for a remand hearing on Monday morning – because they refused to identify themselves.
Monday morning it was revealed that damage from the riots carried out by members of the Eda Haharedit Sunday were valued at NIS 1 million (about $270,000).
A Ynet investigation revealed that the municipal coffers will bear the burden of the protesters' vandalism, which included damage to garbage bins, roads, vehicles, traffic lights, and street lights.
