Traffic reopened on Wednesday evening after Israel Police officers forcefully dispersed an anti-draft haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protest, the police said.
The protest was held by Peleg Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Faction), which began blocking roads beneath Jerusalem’s Chords Bridge from approximately 5 p.m. The group protests on a frequent basis against the detention of haredi draft dodgers.
By approximately 6 p.m., the police reported that the protesters had refused orders to clear the road. This escalated the protest to a riot, according to the police.
Protesters also began throwing stones and other objects at both civilians and police officers at the scene, police said.
Police officers then began forcibly removing protesters to reopen the road and restore order.
Police also threw stun grenades at several locations across the vicinity, with loud explosions heard in the area.
Police also began deploying “skunk spray,” The Jerusalem Post staff at the scene saw. The spray is used to disperse riots due to its foul-smelling effects.
An initial statement from the Israel Police said that police and Border Police officers are operating “following a disturbance at the entrance to Jerusalem.”
“Disorderly persons are blocking the main traffic route at the entrance to the city and disrupting public order in the area,” police added.
Police and Border Police officers are “operating in the area with the aim of restoring order and reopening the road to the public,” police continued.
On Tuesday, the Jerusalem Faction blocked Highway 4 near Bnei Brak.
IDF resumes proactive arrests of ultra-Orthodox men opposing draft
Over the past few days, the IDF has resumed proactive arrests of haredi men who did not report for the draft, following a period where enforcement was largely on hold during the war.
Earlier this week, Israeli authorities arrested a yeshiva student, Nehorai Bachar, in Herzliya over alleged draft evasion. For the Jerusalem Faction, that crossed a red line.
From there, protests spread quickly across the country, with demonstrators blocking major roads.
Sam Halpern contributed to this report.
