Protesters block Jerusalem roads, target light rail construction site

Ultra-Orthodox protesters caused significant disruptions in Jerusalem on Monday night, blocking roads and attempting to damage a light rail construction site on Bar Ilan Street and near Zaks Junction.

Israeli police announced that the gathering became riotous, leading officers to declare it a public disturbance and instruct protesters to disperse. When the demonstrators failed to comply, police employed crowd dispersal measures to restore order. Reports also indicated that protesters set fires in areas adjacent to the road, causing traffic disruptions.

This incident follows weeks of similar protests aimed at halting light rail construction on Bar Ilan Street, a major route through a heavily ultra-Orthodox neighborhood. Video footage appears to show protesters loitering on the tracks, preventing construction crews from working.

According to an N12 report, these ongoing protests have cumulatively caused over NIS 400 million in damage to the Jerusalem light rail's unfinished Green Line since construction commenced approximately six years ago.