Leftist anarchists claiming they are acting on behalf of the hostages launched three days of protests on Wednesday morning, with the focus of their riots in Jerusalem, mainly near the residence of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Rechavia.

The leftists set fire to garbage bins around the Prime Minister’s residence and in Givat Ram, damaging a number of vehicles and forcing the evacuation of neighborhood residents from nearby buildings.

Channel 12 News later reported that one of the cars that was destroyed belonged to the family of an active reservist with three small children, including three-month-old babies. The children’s three car seats and equipment stored in the car were all destroyed, and the family was left with no car a week before the father is due at the battlefront in Gaza. The mother, Tamar Bar-Shai, told Channel 12 that the fire spread to trees, and police evacuated all the residents of the building next to them, some in their underwear [the protest began at 6:30 a.m.]

A firefighter said that the only reason that the building didn’t catch on fire was due to the fact that the trees were still wet with morning dew.

Police forces from the Moriah station in the Jerusalem District, together with emergency services, worked to extinguish the flames and restore order. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no casualties.

One of the residents told Arutz Sheva: “The entire building almost caught on fire, and it could have ended in a serious disaster and the deaths of people. I call on the police to act and arrest the anarchists.” 

Beginning at 6:30 a.m., leftists also protested outside the homes of some government ministers, including the home of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Jerusalem.

Other leftists stormed into the National Library, located near the Knesset, and barricaded themselves on the roof of the building, unfurling huge yellow flags and black and red signs, accusing the government of abandoning and murdering its citizens.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch responded to the reports by stating that “the criminals who burned citizens’ cars are very well aware that this won’t lead to the return of the hostages—only anarchy.”

Police noted that setting fires in public spaces is a dangerous and criminal act and clarified that they will not allow harm to public order or traffic, even while maintaining freedom of expression.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)