Haredi Shabbat protests expand: They set up barriers and prevent buses from entering Jerusalem

Dozens of Haredim are blocking buses at the entrance to Jerusalem. The protest against the arrival of Egged buses from the north before the start of Shabbat began last week and continues today, with at least 13 buses stuck and unable to enter the capital. Long minutes have passed since the start of the blockade, and the police have yet to arrive at the scene.

These bus lines arrive every Shabbat from the north as part of the long-standing status quo and drop off passengers outside the Central Bus Station. This evening, Haredim blocked their arrival by setting up barriers. Private cars have managed to bypass the blockade on the wide road, as the protesters' focus is specifically on buses operating on Shabbat.

The protest in Jerusalem is taking place in parallel with a similar one in Safed, where the city's central square, Egged Square, has become a scene of Shabbat clashes for over two months. Haredim arrive every Shabbat from outside the city to demonstrate against public transport, while the company 'Nativ Express' continues to transport soldiers and civilians as part of a long-standing status quo.

Shabbat protests have also reached Bnei Brak. Yesterday, officials in the Bnei Brak municipality placed containers on the road leading to the 'Mit'ham HaSofrim' neighborhood—where secular residents also live—and blocked access to it. Residents called the police, claiming they were trapped inside. The forces that arrived at the scene removed the containers and opened the road to traffic. The truck driver who placed them was summoned for questioning on suspicion of endangering a transport route. According to him, he performed the work for the Bnei Brak municipality, which denied ordering the placement of the containers.