Dozens of Haredi Protesters Demonstrate Outside Supreme Court Chief’s Home After Arrest

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrated Sunday evening outside the home of Supreme Court President Isaac Amit in Mevaseret Zion, protesting the arrest of a draft evader in the settlement. The crowd came after messages were circulated on the “Black Flag” phone lines directing people to Amit’s house.

The protest follows a similar incident a week and a half ago, when dozens of Haredim rioted outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, breaking his windows. The earlier mob damaged the entrance to the house, shattered pots and planters, and said it was protesting the High Court’s stance on drafting Haredim.

After causing damage, the protesters got onto a bus and tried to leave. Large police forces arrived, stopped the bus carrying the demonstrators, and kept them inside until more officers came. More than 70 people were arrested.

An indictment filed Tuesday in Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court says police do not know who ordered the buses and minibus that brought the rioters. The charges were brought at noon against Nachman Platnik, Avraham Fried, and Gershon Hanukh, all aged 20 or 21 and from Beit Shemesh, and against another defendant, Shimon Taep, 41, also of Beit Shemesh. All four are charged with riot, and Platnik and Fried are additionally charged with trespassing in order to commit an offense.