Suspect arrested for allegedly vandalizing Basimta cafe during protests against its Shabbat opening

Jerusalem police arrested a 75-year-old suspect in connection with the vandalism of the Basimta cafe, which has become a focal point for protests against businesses operating on Shabbat. The suspect is accused of defacing the cafe with graffiti, damaging its lock, and throwing garbage at the premises.

The Basimta cafe has faced seven consecutive weeks of protests from ultra-Orthodox demonstrators who object to its operation on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. These demonstrations have been met with counterprotests from secular individuals supporting the cafe's right to operate.

Incidents at the cafe have included ultra-Orthodox protesters, some reportedly minors, surrounding the establishment, banging on windows, and overturning tables. The cafe was revealed to be an official project of Jews for Jesus, an organization that identifies as Messianic Judaism, a belief system not recognized by mainstream Jewish denominations.

The suspect was reportedly subject to court-imposed restrictions that barred her from approaching or entering the Basimta cafe.