Anti-Draft Protest on Route 4 Sparks Accusations of Police Brutality
In a heated opinion piece, the writer says a surprise protest on Route 4 early Wednesday exposed what he calls the police’s true attitude toward ultra-Orthodox demonstrators opposing arrests of yeshiva students. He describes the scene as extremely violent, claiming officers beat protesters “without mercy” as they tried to block or challenge the detention of Torah learners.
The article says the protest was part of a broader struggle over the military draft and that, during this period, “thousands” of yeshiva students and married scholars are under threat of enlistment orders. The writer argues that many in the ultra-Orthodox public do not usually take part in such protests, but those who do are “doing the work” for the whole community, even at the cost of arrests and blows.
He contrasts the police response to this protest with what he describes as a softer approach toward other demonstrations in Israel, including protests by Ethiopian Israelis and the anti-government protests at Kaplan and Ayalon. In those cases, he says, police showed patience and restraint, while here they acted with “cruelty and hatred.”
The piece accuses the Israel Police of public-relations spin, pointing to outreach videos in Bnei Brak and claims of a “community police” image, while saying the reality on the ground is different. It alleges officers on horseback trampled protesters, dragged yeshiva students by their peyot and clothing, and that commanders used punches and kicks indiscriminately, even stripping protesters in public. The writer calls on senior police officials and the National Security Ministry to intervene immediately before the violence leads to a serious disaster.
