Several dozen people on Wednesday night, the eve of 5 Elul 5772 held a protest in Yerushalayim to decry the arrest of Neturei Karta rav Rabbi Reuven Martzbach.

The demonstrators blocked traffic by placing garbage cans in the road on Yechezkel Street, corner of Kikar Shabbos. They also threw rocks at passing buses. Baruch Hashem there was no reports of injuries.

Interestingly, some area residents appear to have had their fill of the sikrikim, and when the protest reached Shmuel HaNavi Street the protestors were attacked by residents who decried moving and burning trash receptacles and blocking the roadway. The protestors fled the area.

Martzbach was arrested at a protest against chilul kevarim in Beersheva and refused to identify himself, delaying his release. A court released him with restrictions, but because he would not provide police with his identity, he was held an additional night.

Martzbach used the court hearing to promote his cause. He told the judge “I will not cooperate with you because I wish to declare I am a Jew. My existence is Torah and Klal Yisrael, to which I remain loyal. I do not recognize the authority of this court. This is a fraud and the court’s decision is meaningless for me. I am only compelled to follow Torah Law.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)