Chaos in Arad: Gerer Chassidim Disrupt Traffic Following Arrest of Avreich

Chaos in Arad: Gerer Chassidim Disrupt Traffic Following Arrest of Avreich

Tensions between Arad’s chareidi and secular populations intensified on Sunday as hundreds of Gerer chassidim took to the streets following the release of an avreich who had been arrested last week. The demonstrators repeatedly crossed a major intersection in the city, causing significant traffic disruptions and lengthy backups on nearby roads. The protests stem from the arrest of a Gerer couple shortly before Shabbos. According to police, an investigation was opened after their infant was hospitalized with injuries, leading authorities to examine suspicions of intentional harm or neglect. Members of the Gerer community strongly reject those allegations, maintaining that the child fell from a couch and that the father’s arrest was unwarranted. The incident sparked widespread anger and led to a wave of demonstrations throughout the city. The developments came just hours after Arad Mayor Yair Maayan publicly defended the right of Gerer chassidim to protest. In a statement issued Sunday morning, he stressed that chareidi residents are entitled to the same rights as all other citizens and residents of the city, including the right to demonstrate and voice their objections. By the afternoon, however, after traffic disruptions worsened and confrontations developed, Maayan sharply criticized the events unfolding in the city. He described the situation as “anarchy” on the streets of Arad and called on police leadership to deploy additional forces to restore order. The mayor also condemned what he described as a severe disruption to the daily lives of city residents. Footage from the scene showed hundreds of protesters repeatedly walking back and forth through a central crosswalk, slowing traffic to a crawl and creating substantial congestion throughout the area. Police officers remained on site and continued monitoring the situation as the demonstrations progressed. The protest is the latest chapter in the growing controversy surrounding the arrest, which many within the Gerer community view as a serious miscarriage of justice. Community leaders and activists have continued to press their case publicly, while municipal officials and law enforcement have emphasized the need to maintain public order and keep the city functioning normally. {Matzav.com}