Israel Police preparing for mass haredi anti-draft protests across Jerusalem, Tel Aviv regions
The combination of the anti-draft protests and a Ramat Gan concert has raised concerns about heavy traffic congestion and the blocking of major roads throughout the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
The Israel Police are preparing for anti-draft protests by members of the ultra-Orthodox community across Jerusalem and Tel Aviv regions on Thursday. Simultaneously, they are also preparing for a large concert at Ramat Gan Stadium, which is expected to attract around 17,000 attendees in the evening. The confluence of these two events has heightened concerns about traffic congestion and potential road blockages throughout the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, necessitating special police arrangements.
Police officers from the Dan District will be stationed near the Bnei Brak Interchange and Geha Junction, situated at the entrance to Petah Tikva, starting in the early afternoon. The purpose of this deployment is to prepare for the arrival of protesters, deter road blockages, and avert any possible clashes between demonstrators and motorists. There are also discussions about deploying additional forces near the Aluf Sadeh Interchange, another significant traffic corridor in the region.
The police's preparations are prompted by apprehensions that protests against the apprehension of IDF draft evaders could culminate in attempts to obstruct major roads, reminiscent of past ultra-Orthodox demonstrations. Police are acutely aware of protest hotspots in and around Bnei Brak, where demonstrations have previously turned violent, compelling officers to use force to disperse protesters and clear blocked roads.
Adding to the police's challenges, a major concert is scheduled at Ramat Gan Stadium in the evening, with an anticipated 17,000 spectators. The surge of concertgoers, coupled with heightened vehicle and pedestrian traffic, is projected to generate considerable congestion on roads leading to the stadium and within the surrounding vicinity.
Consequently, police must juggle both events concurrently, assigning personnel to uphold public order at the protest sites while also ensuring the safety of the concert and orchestrating traffic around the stadium.
The primary concern is that road blockages during the protests, should they occur, might also impede traffic heading towards Ramat Gan Stadium, causing extensive disruptions throughout the area. Police are poised to prevent major roads from being obstructed, mitigate disruptions to regular traffic, and curb confrontations between protesters and motorists. However, the magnitude of the demonstrations and the number of protesters are yet to be ascertained.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
