Hundreds of haredim protest outside military prison following draft dodger arrest

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gathered outside Military Prison 10 in Beit Lid, Israel, to protest the imprisonment of a seminary student who refused military service. The demonstration, largely comprised of members of the Gur Hassidic sect, erupted Monday over the arrest of a draft dodger.

According to N12 News, the arrested individual had previously visited a draft office to arrange an exemption before receiving a 20-day prison sentence. The Gur Rebbe was reportedly in attendance at the protest, which saw demonstrators arriving from across the country via an estimated 200 buses.

Footage from the scene showed some rioters attempting to dismantle a fence surrounding the prison, despite appeals from the Gur community for peaceful conduct. Police initially tried to block access to the fence but eventually opened the gate. United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzhak Goldknopf was also present and addressed the crowd.

Military Prison 10 has become a focal point for similar protests against draft dodgers. Recent demonstrations on July 9 and June 22 involved clashes with IDF soldiers and attempts by protesters to enter restricted areas. The military has described the conduct at these protests as "violent."