As anarchists engaged in another “Day of Disruption” on Tuesday, ostensibly protesting against the government’s judicial reform plan, not surprisingly, some of the protests took an anti-religious slant.

Anarchists protested outside the Rabbinical Courts in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Rechovot – despite the fact that Rabbinical Courts are judicial courts and their protest is supposedly against “changes to the judicial system.”

The protest in Tel Aviv became violent, with protesters blocking the entrance and banging on the doors, and trying to break in by shoving the security guards. They caused damage to the building by trying to dislodge the doors and windows. Fortunately, those inside locked the doors before anyone could come in.

A protester who said that he wanted to plant an explosive device and blow up the court was arrested by the police. A female protester who sprayed the word “bushah” on the building was also arrested for damaging property.

A senior official of the Rabbinical Court told Kikar H’Shabbat: “This is no longer a legitimate demonstration. They closed the water valve from the outside. They climbed on the building and the windows. They shut the Beis Din down and the police did nothing to prevent the damage to the Beis Din and the daily operations that were affected. They arrived violently, pushing the security guards, who physically prevented their entry. They opened the windows and tried to throw things inside.”

An administrator of the Beis Din said: “We protest the crowding of the courts for political protest and the violence of the protesters and the attempts to beat security guards. The administration condemns the disruption of the proceedings with violence to litigants at the Rabbinical Court in Tel Aviv, where the protesters tried to dislodge the doors of the building and cause damage to the building.”

HaRav Dovid Lau, the Nasi of the Beis Din HaGadol, said: “I strongly protest against the unprecedented and irresponsible behavior of a small group who prevened dayanim from coming to the Beis Din and also prevented the entry of the public, whose cases were scheduled for today. This is anarchy which is carried out illegally and undemocratically. The dayanim will not be deterred and will continue to do their work faithfully for the citizens of the State of Israel. I appeal to the law enforcement authorities in Israel and demand that these acts be treated with the full severity of the law.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)