Does the word “Chareid” have any meaning?

Murderer Yishai Schlissel and various fraudsters have been described as Chareidi. People have also criticized Chareidi judges for not represented the “Chareidi” public in their decision-making (even if all they have to go one in an assembly-line court is the charge sheet and the claims of the prosecutor and defense counsel). Has “Chareidi” become an ethnic group? Should those who are in this group engage in identity politics?