Residents of Arad Plan Major Protest Against Gur Hasidim Over Public Space Control

Residents of Arad are organizing a large protest on Thursday against the growing influence of the Gur Hasidic community in the city. The demonstrators accuse the Gur community of taking over public spaces, dominating the city council, and enforcing selective law enforcement against longtime residents. The protest will include a march along the main street followed by a rally opposing the Gur Hasidim's presence and influence in Arad.

Tensions in Arad have escalated over the past two weeks, including clashes between the ultra-Orthodox community and veteran residents during an anti-draft protest. One of the protest leaders, Noam Cohen, called on non-Gur city council members to oppose the Gur coalition and urged all protesters to avoid violence, emphasizing peaceful demonstration as their approach.

A representative of the Gur Hasidim told Walla News that their protests never intended to disrupt the daily lives of Arad residents. They expressed regret for any inconvenience caused but said the scale of their recent demonstrations was larger than planned. The Gur community also claimed that attempts by some Arad residents to block their protests contributed to tensions. The Gur representative denied any intent to harm the city's residents and condemned accusations against them as false and fueling hatred and division within Arad.