Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Clash Over Jerusalem Cafe Operating on Shabbat

This Saturday morning, ultra-Orthodox residents of Jerusalem protested at the "Basemta" cafe on Agripas Street against its operation on Shabbat. This marks the third consecutive Saturday of demonstrations at the cafe, which has sparked controversy. Police anticipated the protests and confined them to nearby alleys. Supporters of the cafe stood behind partitions, while protesters shouted slogans such as "Stop destroying Jerusalem." The protesters blamed the cafe and its patrons for the recent murder of a 19-year-old in the Nahalat neighborhood, linking the crime to the violation of Shabbat.

Last Saturday also saw clashes between ultra-Orthodox protesters and cafe customers, prompting police intervention. Officers warned the demonstrators that their disorderly conduct was illegal and ordered them to disperse or face force. Adir Schwartz, Jerusalem's deputy mayor and chairman of the Awakening Movement, who was present with activists, condemned the extremist attempts to intimidate the cafe owners and the city's residents for choosing to open on Shabbat. He emphasized that a small extremist group cannot dictate how Jerusalemites live.