Tensions in Arad Turn Violent After Ultra-Orthodox Protest Blocks Roads

Hundreds of members of the Gur Hasidic community demonstrated in Arad on Sunday evening, blocking roads across the city in protest of the arrest of a local ultra-Orthodox man suspected of criminal offenses. The protest was held without authorization, after the community had held an approved silent prayer vigil outside the police station on Friday.

The roadblocks quickly sparked calls on social media for secular residents to come out and confront the demonstrators. Arad Mayor Yair Maayan urged police to respond with reinforced forces, calling the protesters “criminal rioters” and saying, “Anarchy in the streets of Arad.” He asked the police commissioner to deploy YASAM riot police immediately and disperse the crowd.

Maayan later said he condemned “the violent conduct against all Arad residents, and the harm to the residents’ daily routine,” adding that such behavior “does not respect the different communities in the city.” Amid long-running tensions between the groups, local secular residents posted messages encouraging people to “fight for our city,” along with hostile comments about selling and renting homes to the ultra-Orthodox and one anonymous post saying someone was “on the way with pepper spray for self-defense.”

Residents reported direct confrontations, and video from the city showed fights between members of the two communities. One resident wrote that vehicles were damaged and passersby were subjected to insults, shouting and blows. Police said that despite the clashes, there were no arrests or detentions.