Dozens break into Beit Shemesh police station after arrest of Haredi draft dodger |
A large group of Haredi protesters broke into a police station compound in Beit Shemesh, rioting and clashing with police officers overnight Sunday, following the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox draft evader in the city.
The rioters threw stones, attempted to block a main highway, and set fire to nearby brush, as footage shared on social media showed a crowd of jeering ultra-Orthodox men hurling debris at the police station as others forced open the gate, allowing them to push their way in.
While the military and police have made no move to arrest all 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18-24 believed to be eligible for service, the detainment of even a small number of draft evaders has ignited anger and occasionally violence in the country’s Haredi enclaves.
In another video, police were seen pushing back a crowd of men who tried to force their way through another entrance to the compound.
The crowd began chanting “murderer! murderer!” as one police officer appeared to punch several protesters as he moved them away from the entrance.
Officers from the Israel Police Jerusalem District were deployed to the scene along with Border Police soldiers, forcibly dispersing the protesters, including with stun grenades and batons, Hebrew media reported.
אנרכיה בבית שמש: עשרות מפגינים קיצוניים פרצו לתחנת המשטרה בשל מעצר תלמיד ישיבה והעברתו למשטרה הצבאית. pic.twitter.com/t0drGs1rb5 — ישי כהן (@ishaycoen) June 1, 2026
אנרכיה בבית שמש: עשרות מפגינים קיצוניים פרצו לתחנת המשטרה בשל מעצר תלמיד ישיבה והעברתו למשטרה הצבאית.........