Pregnant Woman Severely Hurt in Rear-End Crash During Haredi Protest Convoy

A pregnant woman was seriously injured on Wednesday after rear-ending a car on one of Israel’s main traffic arteries during the Haredi “car protest.” The crash happened on a central route as protest vehicles were driving slowly in an effort to disrupt traffic.

Police sharply criticized the protest method after the accident, saying they had warned in advance that slow driving on highways could cause pileups. Police said, “We warned, slow driving causes chain-reaction crashes.”

In the days before the protest, police had carried out extensive preparations, including dividing routes, arranging traffic procedures, and distributing safety instructions to thousands of drivers. The planned convoy was expected to move along major roads, including Route 1, Route 4, Route 6 and the Ayalon Highways, at low speed in the afternoon and evening to effectively shut down key transportation corridors.

The article says the demonstration was part of a broader Haredi protest effort on central roads, and the police response focused on the danger of using slow-moving vehicles as a tactic on busy highways.