Extremist haredim rioted in Jerusalem on Sunday evening, causing heavy damage to a train and to the Shivtei Israel light rail station.
The demonstrators smashed the windshields of the train and the windows of the station with rocks and threw sticky paint on the train car. They then poured concrete on the tracks.
Citypass, which operates the light rail in Jerusalem, said, "During the violent demonstration near the Shivtei Israel station, the demonstrators poured concrete on the railway tracks. This is a very dangerous sabotage that could have caused the train to deviate from the tracks and even overturn, with the passengers in it.”
“In addition, the protesters caused heavy damage to the station and the train. The card machines were damaged. The demonstrators who smashed the windshields of the train and the stations with rocks and threw sticky paint on the carriages endangered the frightened passengers with their actions. Citypass strongly condemns the violent and vandalistic attack that endangered the passengers and calls on the police to bring to justice the rioters whose serious acts endangered human life," the statement said.
The Jerusalem Police stated that "a report was received that the light rail station was damaged at the Shivtei Israel station, some of the windows of a train that was present at the station were painted and an obstacle was placed on the track. As a result, the station and train windows were damaged and train traffic was delayed until the obstacle was cleared. Police officers who arrived at the scene began searching for the suspects."
Simultaneously with the riot at the train station, dozens of extremist haredim blocked traffic lanes, damaged infrastructure and threw rocks at vehicles near Shabbat Square in Jerusalem. Two people involved in the disturbance were arrested by police after causing damage to traffic lights and several vehicles.
Serious violence also occurred in Bnei Brak on Sunday night. Mayor Avraham Rubinstein was removed from a gathering in the city after several rioters attacked his vehicle and tried to attack him.
At the same time, an Egged bus was pelted with rocks. The driver fled the scene and the rioters stole equipment from the bus.
In an attempt to lower the flames, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni read a message he received from Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
"He said that I should say on his behalf that these demonstrations should be stopped, and he called on the Israel Police to stop the terrible things they are doing to the residents of Bnei Brak who are innocent of any crime," MK Gafni said at an emergency meeting of the haredi factions in the Bnei Brak municipality.