(VIDEO AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Following an order from the High Court, Beit Shemesh city hall ordered the removal of modesty signs hanging around the city. The court has ruled more than once that signs demanding woman dress modestly and use separate sidewalks are illegal, and must be removed by the city.

The city has actually removed signs more than once, but Chareidi zealots replaced them with new ones.

In the last court hearing, Justice Chanan Meltzer was uninterested in hearing any excuses, warning Beit Shemesh Mayor Abutbul he would be cited for contempt of court if the signs do not disappear this time around. He called on the mayor to control the extremists in his city, and if need be, to have a battalion of police sent to the city to accomplish this. The court warned it would not tolerate excuses this time around, and the signs must be gone within the two-week period allocated.

The city launched a NIS 50,000 operation to comply with the court ruling, this time removing six of the eight signs that were hanging in three different areas.

The first signs were removed from the intersection of Nahar HaYarden and Yehuda HaNasi Streets, and as the city moved to remove other signs, the first ones had already been replaced.

The operation was cut short upon instructions to do so by police, as crowds of chareidim were gathering as the signs were being removed, with pushing and shouts of “gevald”. Police commanders wished to avoid violent confrontations.

The mayor turned again turned to the court, explaining the signs have been removed several times, albeit without success for new ones are already in their place. Abutbul explained City Hall cannot engage in this type of operation daily, seemingly throwing up his hands before the court and seeking direction.

The mayor also turned to police to enforce the law and public order, as it has done in so many areas.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)