Security Guard Locks Haredi Families Inside Haifa Park Overnight, Forcing Police Intervention

A serious incident occurred late Friday night at the Gesher HaKishon Park in Haifa involving dozens of Haredi families from various Israeli cities including Haifa, Rekhasim, Beit Shemesh, and Jerusalem. After spending the evening at the park, the families began preparing to leave around midnight when the security guard employed by the Haifa municipality, identified as Amir Suad, reportedly locked the park gates and left the premises.

The families, including over ten groups with young children and a one-week-old infant, found themselves trapped inside the park. Unable to exit, they were forced to call the police for assistance. A police patrol arrived around 1:00 a.m., prompting the security guard to return and unlock the gates. The lock-in lasted approximately one hour.

Those involved condemned the guard’s actions as reckless and dangerous, emphasizing the potential risk to children’s health in an emergency. One father stated, "If a child had an allergic reaction or fainted, there would have been no way to get out." The incident has been described as a serious breach of safety and responsibility by the security personnel.