Bnei Brak protest turns violent after religious man confronts demonstrators

A violent confrontation broke out in Bnei Brak on Friday afternoon, when a Haredi man yelled at left-wing protesters from the Mothers on the Front who were blocking the city ahead of Shabbat. Video from the scene shows several demonstrators beating him repeatedly until his son had to pull him away to protect him from further blows.

The clash took place during a protest by Mothers on the Front on Kahanman Street, part of an attempt to block the city in response to Haredi protests against the draft decree. Earlier, attorney Ayelet HaShachar Saidoff, who leads the movement, said, "Blockades will be met with blockades," and said the protesters intended to "disrupt the lives" of Bnei Brak residents.

The footage shows the man arguing with the protesters and shouting that they were disturbing residents during the sensitive hours before Shabbat. Within seconds, the confrontation escalated into severe physical violence, with several protesters attacking him. His son, who was with him, looked frightened and shocked as he dragged his father aside.

Residents were angered that the protest was held just before Shabbat, when thousands of families are preparing and the streets are filled with people. Only a small number of protesters ultimately arrived, despite claims of a major blockade, and further clashes broke out between them and locals, some of whom shouted, "We will die before we enlist." The incident came amid a series of recent violent confrontations tied to the anti-draft protests, including last week’s clashes on Highway 4, where police used water cannons and stun grenades against Haredi demonstrators. After those events, the Tel Aviv District commander suspended a police officer who kicked a Haredi protester, and police later admitted, "Some officers acted not according to procedure."