Protests Erupt in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh Following Groom's Arrest

Fierce protests took place in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh on Sunday following the arrest of groom Yaari Lieberman by military police. Lieberman was apprehended on his way to a "Sheva Brachot" celebration with his wife. In Jerusalem, demonstrators blocked the light rail line on Hayim Bar-Lev Street, leading to clashes with police forces. The protests began hours after Lieberman was sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

According to police, the Jerusalem protest escalated into a public disturbance, with demonstrators blocking traffic and confronting officers. A police officer declared the gathering an illegal disturbance, after which protesters began throwing objects at the forces. Police and Border Police officers used force to disperse the crowd and reopen the roads. Videos from the scene showed confrontations and blockades near the light rail.

Lieberman, a student at the 'Or Hachaim' yeshiva headed by Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, was arrested earlier that day while disembarking a bus with his new wife. Witnesses reported that military police officers were in civilian clothing and lacked identification, initially causing his wife to fear a kidnapping. Less than a month prior, an attempt to arrest Lieberman at his parents' home in Modi'in was thwarted by hundreds of protesters.

The arrest sparked sharp reactions from Haredi public representatives. MK Yitzhak Goldknopf, Chairman of Agudat Yisrael, also criticized the arrest and blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, MK Yinon Azulai of the Shas faction began collecting signatures for a petition urging the Defense Minister to intervene.

Protest organizations announced plans for a mass "Sheva Brachot" event on Monday outside the gates of Prison 10 in Beit Lid, where Lieberman is being held. The rabbinical court of the Edah Haredit also decided to launch a broad public campaign in response to the arrest.