The Ashdod Magistrate’s Court on Sunday ordered the shabavnik who assaulted an avreich in Ashdod on motzei shabbos to house arrest for the duration of the legal proceedings against him, the daily HaMevaser reports. The court accepted the position of police, seeking to compel him to remain at home, fearing if he is not held in confinement he will continue to pose a danger to the tzibur.

The chareidi tzibur at large is angry at police, blaming Ashdod police officials for failing “to see the writing on the wall” in this case, explaining to the media that it was obvious that the confrontation which occurred this past shabbos was imminent, yet “police failed to act appropriately to prevent such an occurrence”.

Residents of the Rova Zayin neighborhood in Ashdod add the streets are no longer safe as the at-risk youths (shabavnikim) are permitted to continue terrorizing them without police intervention.

In a more encouraging development, city officials met on Sunday with police commanders and representatives of the chareidi community, seeking to understand what can be done to eliminate the fears of the Rova Zayin residents. The askanim who attended the meeting report they were pleasantly surprised by the level of police cooperation.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)