No secular person came to confront Mordechai David and his friends, so they fought with police and inspectors
Only about 30 worshippers attended a segregated Selichot prayer organized by convicted criminal Mordechai David at Habima Square in Tel Aviv. The event, which received government backing, was met with public indifference. After the prayer, clashes broke out between participants and municipal inspectors and police, after they removed a partition that had been placed illegally.
Only about 30 worshippers attended a segregated Selichot prayer this evening (Wednesday) at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, organized by activist Mordechai David, a convicted criminal close to government ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The event, announced in advance as a provocation, was met with complete public indifference: no secular person came to confront the participants. Large police forces arrived at the scene fearing clashes, along with Tel Aviv municipal inspectors. After the prayer, instead of clashes with secular people, confrontations developed between the worshippers and the inspectors and police, after the inspectors removed a partition that had been placed in violation of municipal law prohibiting the placement of partitions in public spaces. During the clashes, chants were heard against Mayor Ron Huldai, who was called "the anti-Semitic heretic," as well as chants of "leftist whores" and "they love Sodom and Gomorrah." The police confiscated David's megaphone on suspicion that he was using it to incite disorder, but returned it after about half an hour.