School Gate Welded Shut in Bnei Brak Amid Segregation Protest

Dozens of students and parents arrived at the state religious school in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood of Bnei Brak on Tuesday morning to find the main entrance gate welded shut. The incident is suspected to be a protest by extremist elements against the school's co-educational classes for boys and girls within the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community.

The welding occurred overnight, preventing students from entering the school premises. The motive behind the act is believed to be opposition to mixed-gender classrooms, a practice that is contentious within some segments of the Haredi public. Authorities are investigating the incident and the identities of those responsible for the vandalism and disruption.