Three youths have been arrested and others questioned by police in connection with an assault that occurred on Shabbos, an assault that has left the city’s chareidi community up in arms, prompting meetings with rabbonim and senior police commanders. Two of the three suspects in custody have been remanded for five days, the daily HaMevaser reports.

For some time members of the frum community have been seeking ways to curtail unacceptable behavior, but this incident has crossed the line leaders report, compelling community rabbonim to pressure police to act with force.

One of the youths in custody is being connected to a similar assault on a Shabbos about a month ago, in the Rova Zayin neighborhood, in which an avreich was attacked, resulting in hospitalization and emergency surgery on a leg.

Residents of the chareidi areas of the city praised the actions of rabbonim, who acted without hesitation, using all their clout to persuade police to act, to bring an end to the attacks. They lamented the behavior of the youths involved; stating when one falls off the derech, sometimes, the fall is a long one.

This past Shabbos, a man who was a guest in the area was attacked by youths described by local residents as members of the ‘at-risk youth’ community of Ashdod.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)