Israeli police declared an illegal protest on Highway 4 near Bnei Brak Wednesday morning, after demonstrators blocked traffic in both directions. A police officer officially announced the gathering illegal before taking enforcement measures, and officers are redirecting vehicles to alternate routes, according to the Israel Police spokesperson's unit.
Israeli police officially declared the Highway 4 protest illegal Wednesday morning shortly before 08:29 Jerusalem, after demonstrators blocked both directions between Em HaMoshavot and Aluf Sadeh junctions. A police officer announced the gathering illegal before enforcement measures began, with officers on scene redirecting traffic to alternate routes, according to the Israel Police spokesperson's unit. By 08:29, Haredi protesters were reported to be beginning to disperse and the highway was set to reopen, following the police order.
This is the latest in a series of Haredi protest actions on Highway 4 in recent weeks. As The Zioneer reported, a similar protest on June 11 saw drivers confront demonstrators after the blockade dragged into its second hour, and a grenade was thrown toward protesters in a separate incident that same day. Police have repeatedly declared such gatherings illegal under Israeli law, which bars blocking public roads. In today's sequence, initial reports (v.1) at 08:29 said activists from the Ratzefnikim faction were blocking the Coca-Cola Junction to protest the arrest of a Haredi draft evader sentenced to 14 days. Further thread items at the same timestamp noted one demonstrator arrested at the Geha Interchange, drivers confronting protesters, and police warnings before the official illegal declaration.
The current protest unfolds amid ongoing tensions over Haredi military service and draft enforcement — a recurring flashpoint that has spurred multiple road blockades. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, activists in Ashdod forced police to release a detained draft evader by blocking Highway 4 near the city in a predawn operation. Separately, police declared a Highway 1 protest illegal on June 11 when demonstrators blocked the road with yellow badges, and a general Haredi protest was declared illegal on June 14 with officers citing rioters blocking traffic routes and public buses.
What remains unconfirmed: specific numbers of demonstrators involved, any injuries during the enforcement, and whether additional arrests were made beyond the initial one reported at the Geha Interchange. The Israel Police spokesperson's unit did not immediately provide further details on the modernization status of enforcement measures.
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