Police have asked the court to keep nine senior Israel Railways workers in jail, including the head of the union. The workers were arrested Wednesday night during a demonstration in Maccabim held at the home of the incoming director of Israel Railways, Uri Yogev. Some 200 railway workers, led by the nine detainees, were protesting a management decision to privatize the railway. The protest, held without a permit, involved entering Yogev's property, blocking streets, violating environmental laws and disturbing the peace, according to police. Locals said the demonstrators made a great deal of noise. The nine workers were held for disorderly conduct, police said, and not in connection with the strike itself. Nevertheless, police said they would ask Thursday morning for an extension of the remand of all nine detainees, but did not say for how long. The National Labor Court has scheduled a hearing for Monday to consider a formal request to strike by the Israel Railway workers.