Rachel Azaria
Rachel AzariaHadas Parush/Flash 90

Haredi extremists defaced bus ads promoting the candidacy of Jerusalem mayoral candidate and Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria a few hours after they went up in the Geula neighborhood.

Azaria, who is the only female running for Jerusalem's top job, had run a slew of ads calling for coexistence. The ads had also featured a picture of Azaria, which enraged radical haredim who consider photos of women a breach of their strict modesty code.

Azaria said that she believed that the haredim that vandalized her advertisements did not represent Jerusalem."The violent attempt to harm the election campaign does not reflect Jerusalem, the Jerusalemites, or the haredi public," she said.

"This is an extreme, marginal group. In Jerusalem, we know how to live together in mutual respect, even if it is not always easy. The extremists cannot decide for us."

Azaria has long had a thorny relationship with Jerusalem's haredi community dating back to when she was a member of the municipality. In 2011, Mayor Nir Barkat took away her portfolios after she petitioned the High Court of Justice against gender segregation in the Meah Shearim neighborhood and Azaria has repeatedly faced off against bus companies who have refused to run ads featuring women.

תיעוד: חרדים משחיתים שלטי בחירות של רחל עזריה