One does not have to be a political analyst to have predicted the angry response to the arrests of senior officials in the Eida Chareidit. Some are critical of police, simply for the brazen disregard of the community status of the suspects taken into custody, explaining that when such people must be detained by police there is a protocol to follow, which in this case would have entailed contacting the Eida Gavaad in advance instead of storming into the homes during predawn hours. Many accuse police of intentionally using such tactics due to the tensions over recent weeks between the Eida and authorities, seeking to put the Gavaad and his cohorts in their place.

It appears that one protest is being organized as this is being written, expected to get underway in less than an hour, at noon, in front of the Russian Compound detention center where the detainees are being held. A second protest is being announced for 1:00pm oppose the Eida’s Zupnik headquarters, near Kikar Shabbos.

The protests are a response to the arrests early Sunday morning of six people, including five senior Eida personalities as was reported by YWN-ISRAEL.

Eida Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss Shlita is reportedly fuming over the arrest of his chief gabbai Rav Amram Shapira, as well as other suspects who are senior Eida personalities. The suspects stand accused of playing a role in a tzedaka operation run by the Eida which officials announced is guilty of major tax evasion and money laundering.

In Meah Shearim, the buzz on the streets is a simple one, this is a power struggle between authorities and the Gavaad, and they vow that they will not let this morning’s events pass with an “appropriate response”.

The protests are expected to be stormy as many in Meah Shearim feel this time, police simply crossed a red line that should never have been crossed and now, there is a price that must be paid.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)