From a crying baby to an arrest of a deserter: Hundreds of Gur Hasidim surrounded police officers in Arad

Hundreds of Gur Hasidim surrounded two police officers in Arad who arrived following a report of a crying baby. Some of the Hasidim mistakenly believed the officers had come to arrest a deserter. The mayor condemned the incident and called for enforcing the law.

A riot broke out last night in Arad, after hundreds of Gur Hasidim gathered around two police officers who arrived in the city following a report of a crying baby. Some of the Hasidim mistakenly believed the officers had come to arrest a deserter from military service, and consequently began blocking streets and protesting against the police. According to Mayor Yair Ma'ayan, some of the crowd blocked the officers' path and attacked the police vehicle. The mayor harshly condemned the incident and called for arresting the rioters and bringing them to justice. The incident comes against the backdrop of protests against the arrest of deserters from the Haredi public, including the blocking of Highway 4 yesterday by members of the Jerusalem Faction.