Dozens of haredi protesters blocked the entrance to Jerusalem near Weizmann Boulevard before nightfall on Saturday, protesting the arrival of buses operating on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) on routes from northern Israel to the capital.
As a result of the blockade, at least 13 buses were stopped, and the road itself was later blocked for a period of time.
Dozens of protesters arrived at the scene and blocked the route into the city. After Shabbat ended, the protesters lifted the blockade.
According to reports, the bus routes traveling from northern Israel to Jerusalem operate under a longstanding status quo and drop off passengers outside the Central Bus Station. During the protest, demonstrators focused on blocking the buses, while most private vehicles were able to bypass the blockade.
Police stated that "reinforced forces are en route to the scene in order to disperse the rioters and restore traffic to normal," adding that traffic was being directed to alternative routes.
Meanwhile, similar protests against public transportation operating on Shabbat are continuing in Tzfat. In Bnei Brak, it was reported that containers were placed at the entrance to the supermarket complex on Friday afternoon, in a move that sparked controversy.
Police removed the barriers, and the truck driver who was working at the scene was summoned for questioning. The Bnei Brak Municipality denied that it had ordered the containers to be placed there.