Police arrested nine haredi demonstrators from the Yerushalmi Faction (Jerusalem Faction) during a protest Thursday evening.
Police said the rioters were arrested for blocking major roadways in the haredi city of Bnei Brak and for refusing to heed police instructions ordering them to disperse.
Due to the protest, Hashomer Street was blocked from Hayarden Street to Jabotinsky. Jabotinsky Street was also closed from Rabbi Shach Street to the east. Police diverted traffic from Jabotinsky Street to the Ayalon Mall,
"The Israel Police will not prevent any protest from taking place with the sincere desire to allow the freedom of expression and protest to any citizen who so desires. At the same time, we will not allow any disturbance of order and will act resolutely against violence of any kind," said a police statement.
The Jerusalem Faction the continuing imprisonment of a faction-affiliated yeshiva student that was arrested for draft dodging.
The student, Yisrael Meir Elyashiv, was arrested in Modiin Illit last Thursday by plainclothes policemen for refusing to show up at the IDF's recruitment center in order to receive a draft deferment. Elyashiv is currently imprisoned in the IDF's Jail 4 in Tzrifin.