Israel Haredi protest escalates with police station siege and judge home attack

On June 5‑6 2026, hundreds of ultra‑Orthodox (Haredi) demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh to protest the arrest of men who refused Israel’s military draft. In Jerusalem’s Russian Compound the crowd tried to break down the gate of a police station, while in Beit Shemesh rioters threw stones and other objects at officers. Police employed force and continued dispersing the protesters into the night, eventually arresting at least 62 individuals.

The unrest followed a recent violent attack on the home of High Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, where protesters shattered windows, broke flower‑pots, damaged a car and displayed an Israeli flag bearing a swastika. The protests are linked to the 2024 Supreme Court decision that ended long‑standing draft exemptions for yeshiva students, a policy issue intensified after the Oct. 7 2023 Hamas attacks.

Political figures, including MK Avigdor Liberman, condemned the rioters, noting that the demonstrations occurred on the Jewish Sabbath. The series of actions reflects a deepening clash between Haredi communities and Israeli state institutions over military service obligations.