A huge hareidi religious protest over free parking on the Sabbath on Jerusalem erupted into violence during the holy day of rest. One person was hospitalized and several demonstrators were arrested. Six police officers and a reporter were injured during the clashes.
The thousands of protestors in the Mea Shearim neighborhood carried out their leaders’ vow to fight against free parking, which they fear will lead to widespread desecration of the Sabbath. Mayor Nir Barkat has directed the city parking lots to be available for free parking in order to encourage tourism.
Rabbi Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss, a leader of Jerusalem's hareidi-religious community, threatened Friday "to burn the city" over the opening of the Safra municipal parking lot on the Sabbath. The rabbi's threat broke up a meeting with Mayor Barkat, in which he unsuccessfully attempted to convince the rabbi to call off the demonstration.
Protestors charged that the police used unreasonable force against them, but law enforcement officials said that fire hoses were employed in order to disperse stone throwers, who injured several policemen. One officer was hospitalized for head wounds.The violence began towards the end of the Sabbath as the protestors reached Safra Square, where City Hall is located, and police tried to prevent them from continuing to the area’s plaza.