Dozens of protesters break into Beit Shemesh police station after arrest of Haredi draft dodger
Dozens of protesters broke into a police station compound in Beit Shemesh earlier tonight and set fire to nearby vegetation following the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox draft evader in the city.
Footage shared on social media shows a large crowd of jeering ultra-Orthodox men hurling debris at the police station as others force open the gate, allowing them to push their way in.
הפרגוד: הפריצה הלילית הדרמטית של המפגינים למשטרת בית שמש pic.twitter.com/A1FXAeHKeY
— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) May 31, 2026
In another video, police can be seen pushing back a crowd of men trying to force their way in through another entrance to the compound.
The crowd begins chanting “murderer! murderer!” as one police officer appears to punch several protesters as he moves them away from the entrance.
דרמה: בעקבות הפרסום מאות מנסים לפרוץ כעת למשטרת בית שמש, במחאה על מעצר בחור הישיבה pic.twitter.com/K2jatdTamG
— יוסי פלד Yossi Feld (@Yossi_Feld) May 31, 2026
Officers from the Israel Police Jerusalem District were deployed to the scene along with Border Police soldiers and forcibly dispersed the protesters, including with stun grenades, according to Hebrew media reports.
The police issue a statement saying they have regained control over the compound and are continuing to dispel protesters gathered in the surrounding streets.