Mistaken identity sparks brief Ashdod protest after detainee triggers ultra-Orthodox alert system

A rare scene unfolded overnight Thursday in Ashdod, where police detained a young draft evader who activated the “Black Color” alert system used to mobilize ultra-Orthodox protesters against arrests of deserters.

Within minutes, large numbers of Haredi residents rushed to the area to help secure his release and block the arrest. Only after the situation calmed down and police had left did the protesters realize that the man they had helped was not Haredi at all, but a secular young man, possibly a former Haredi.

The “Black Color” system has become a tool used by different factions in the ultra-Orthodox sector to prevent arrests of draft evaders. It relies on advanced technology that helps organize protesters and manage their movement toward confrontation points.

One of its main features is a “vehicle branch,” which allows people on their way to the scene to coordinate rides in real time. The system also uses fixed gathering points to make the mobilization more efficient.