Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters disrupted traffic across Israel on Monday, including on Highway 4, Highway 1, and at Jerusalem’s Chords Bridge, and also blocked the train tracks near Ben-Gurion Airport.
The protests were called to denounce attempts to draft haredim into the IDF and the military and Israel Police’s policy of increasing the enforcement of arresting draft dodgers in recent days and weeks.
Over the course of the protest, the police announced, three officers were lightly injured while attempting to disperse the crowds.
Additionally, some protesters had begun rioting outside the home of the commander of the National Traffic Police, N12 News reported.
Police later arrived at the commander’s house, N12 reported, and attempted to disperse the rioters using flash grenades. Ynet reported that two of the protesters had been arrested.
The police announced that they were attempting to disperse protesters who were blocking the entrance to Jerusalem, as well as redirecting vehicles in order to allow traffic to pass.
One soldier who got off a bus in Jerusalem was attacked by protesters, police said, and had to be rescued by officers on the scene.
הפרת סדר בכניסה לירושלים – כוחות המשטרה חילצו חייל שהותקף ע”י מפרי סדר
מפרי הסדר חוסמים את ציר התנועה הראשי בכניסה לעיר ומשבשים את הסדר הציבורי, תוך תקיפת עוברי אורח במקום
חייל שירד מאוטובוס הותקף ע”י מפרי הסדר, וכוחות משטרה, בהם לוחמי יס”מ ירושלים, שזיהו את המתרחש, השתמשו… pic.twitter.com/0CfDwbmwX3
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) June 1, 2026
The protesters also blocked the light rail system in Jerusalem, the police stated.
Ynet reported that protesters had smashed windows at the entrance to the Har Hotzvim police station and blocked entry into the building.
Magen David Adom announced that a 25-year-old individual at the protest on Highway 4 was struck and seriously injured by a motorcycle. He was given treatment on the scene and taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Later, the police began dispersing the protesters, using water cannons and mounted officers.
Haredi protesters break into Beit Shemesh police station
Overnight, eight haredi protesters were arrested after breaking into a police station in Beit Shemesh following the arrest of an alleged draft dodger, Israel Police said on Monday morning.
Footage of the incident shared by Israel Police showed numerous protesters gathered outside the station after the suspect had been arrested by military police.
Several rioters succeeded in breaking into the compound, according to Israeli media. Police added that others had attempted to “block traffic by throwing stones on Route 38.”
Later on Monday, KAN News reported that all eight of the protesters had been released, after the police admitted in court that there was no evidence against them.
The judge described the incident as one which indicated “a crossing of the line,” but added that “It is not possible to order the arrest of the respondents before me simply because of their presence in a place near the police station without being presented with evidence that shows that they forcibly broke through the gates of the station or committed another violent act during that incident.”
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
