Thousands of Gur Hasidim traveled from across Israel to the gates of Prison 10 near Beit Lid to protest what they called the wrongful arrest of yeshiva students. The immediate trigger was the detention of Yehiel Kotiner, a member of the Gur community, who was arrested at a recruitment office while trying to regularize his status and submit a medical request.
The rally was organized at very short notice and led by the Gur rebbe, who came specially from Jerusalem to the site. The gathering opened with Psalms and the afternoon prayer, followed by remarks of encouragement from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Dandrovitz.
Ahead of the protest, Gur community leaders called on thousands of participants not to clash with the broadcasts, to remain patient, and not to enter private courtyards. The demonstration took place at Prison 10, where the crowd assembled in response to the broader dispute over arrests of yeshiva students and Kotiner’s detention.
