As the rollback on coronavirus restrictions went into effect on Sunday, Machane Yehudah Shuk shop owners held a protest about the continued closure of the shuk.

The Machane Yehudah shuk is not only an icon of Jerusalem but is also the means of parnassah for hundreds of small business owners, who have been badly affected by the coronavirus restrictions. And although most stores were allowed to re-open on Sunday, the rollback regulations apply only to stores located on the street versus malls or open-air markets.

Unfortunately, the protest turned violent with a scuffle taking place between shop owners and police. One of the shop owners was arrested and the head of the Shuk Machane Yehudah Vendors Association Tali Friedman was summoned to the police for questioning.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion has been vouching for the shuk shop owners for weeks, submitting a request to the government to allow them to open their stores, promising that the Jerusalem municipality would take responsibility for ensuring that the shuk adheres to social distancing guidelines.

“I hope that the government will swiftly approve the opening of the Machane Yehudah shuk which is a source of parnassah for hundreds of Yerushalmi families,” wrote Lion on Twitter. “I promise you – the shuk merchants and the residents of Jerusalem – I won’t rest until we re-open the shuk. Be strong. Love you.”

שוק מחנה יהודה, הבוקר. "חוזרים לשגרה"😕 pic.twitter.com/vgWUdTgaUv

— Maya Horodniceanu (@mayahorodnicean) April 26, 2020

“In recent weeks I’ve been taking action to re-open Machane Yehudah shuk,” Lion continued. “I presented an organized plan for the opening of the shuk and I suggested more than once that the Jerusalem municipality will take responsibility that the shuk adhere to Health Ministry directives.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)