Small Prayer Gathering in Tel Aviv Sparks Clashes Between Activists and Police

On Wednesday evening, about 30 worshippers attended a segregated Selichot prayer at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, organized by Mordechai David, a convicted criminal known for his connections to government ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The event drew a significant police and municipal inspector presence amid fears of provocations recalling the Yom Kippur prayer riots in 2023.

The prayer began with only two women praying behind a partition, but the event was largely ignored by passersby who did not confront the small group of worshippers. Instead of clashes between secular residents and the worshippers, tensions arose between the activists and the police and inspectors, who outnumbered the participants. The municipal inspectors removed the partition, citing city regulations prohibiting partitions in public spaces, with police allowing the confiscation.

Following the removal, confrontations broke out, including chants against Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, labeled "the anti-Semitic heretic." Police confiscated David's megaphone on suspicion of inciting disorder but returned it after about 30 minutes. Activists shouted provocative slogans directed at the police and inspectors, including references to singer Eyal Golan and derogatory remarks about leftists, escalating the tension at the scene.