Violence was the scene at Eida protests in Yerushalayim and Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet on Sunday night as chareidim took to the streets, targeting police with their wrath over the arrests of prominent members of the Eida tzibur alleged to be at the heart of a major tax evasion money laundering operation that ran under the wing of the Eida’s Vaad Artzi tzedaka.

At least six people were taken into custody as protestors targeted police with rocks and other objects, some calling police “Nazis”, something that seems to have become acceptable at such events.

Authorities have dubbed the case “Operation Gold White”, indicating on Sunday that additional arrests are expected as the investigation progresses.

The main violence on Sunday night was in RBS-B, on Nahar Yarden Street, where members of the Eida’s most fanatic branch live, all too pleased to once again take to the streets and confront police troops. A total of six Beit Shemesh protestors were taken into custody as police fought to keep the street open, combating some 200 protestors.

Close to 22:00, a lit object was hurled at a police vehicle parked close to the epicenter of the violence, and fortunately, police quickly determined the car was ablaze and they succeeded in extinguishing the fire without injuries.

In Jerusalem, tens of protestors engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with police, repeatedly trying to shut down Shivtei Yisrael Street to vehicular traffic. At an earlier protest near the Eida’s Zupnik Headquarters in Yerushalayim, three protestors were taken into custody for trying to close down the major vehicular thoroughfare.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)