Deputy Mayor Adir Schwartz said extremists arrived at the HaSimta cafe on Saturday to intimidate the owner and the public because the cafe is open on Shabbat. He said Hit'orerut activists were present throughout the day, supporting the business, and vowed to continue protecting a 'free Jerusalem that belongs to everyone.'
Deputy Mayor Adir Schwartz said at 11:21 Jerusalem that extremists had arrived at the HaSimta cafe on Saturday to intimidate the owner and the public because the cafe remains open on Shabbat. Schwartz stated that Hit'orerut activists were present throughout the day to support the business, vowing that a 'handful of extremists' will not dictate the character of Jerusalem.
The statement caps a day of escalating confrontations at the cafe. Initial reports at 11:21 Jerusalem described clashes between protesters and patrons for the second consecutive Shabbat. Protesters were heard chanting 'Sheva'as' and 'Titgaysu' (enlist). Police forcibly removed Haredi protesters from the cafe, according to journalist Inbar Twizer (N12). Earlier in the day, a long line of supporters gathered outside the cafe at 10:47 Jerusalem, as The Zioneer reported. The chain of events began with a violent protest on July 4, when activists overturned tables and banged on windows, as The Zioneer reported at 18:18 Jerusalem. On July 10, neighborhood residents announced a protest combined with Kabbalat Shabbat prayer.
The HaSimta cafe on Agrippas Street has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over Shabbat observance in Jerusalem, as The Zioneer has documented. A week after the July 4 protest, supporters lined up to show solidarity, and today Hit'orerut activists maintained a presence throughout the day.
It remains unclear whether further protests are planned for the coming Shabbatot. The Zioneer has not received comment from the cafe owner or from leaders of the ultra-Orthodox protest groups.
6 developments
- DevelopingHaredi protesters overturn tables, bang on windows at Jerusalem cafe open on Shabbat
- DevelopingLong line of supporters at Jerusalem cafe a week after Haredi protest
- DevelopingJerusalem residents announce Shabbat protest against cafe opening on Agrippas Street
- StrongSevere brawl between secular Israelis and Haredi protesters
Source and signal
- Internal intake