Nine people were arrested and a demonstrator was taken to the hospital after clashes erupted during a hafganah Monday evening at the Geha Junction, as police moved to clear blocked roadways and restore traffic flow in the area.

According to Israel Police, officers operated near Geha Junction, close to Bnei Brak and Givat Shmuel, after demonstrators protesting the arrest of yeshiva students blocked Highway 4. Police said protesters sat on the road, physically blocked vehicles and confronted officers, actions that endangered both themselves and other motorists.

Police commanders declared the gathering an illegal demonstration prior to any enforcement measures. Despite repeated warnings, authorities said the protesters refused to comply with instructions and continued blocking traffic.

As the situation escalated, police used crowd-dispersal measures and force to extract vehicles trapped at the scene. During the disturbances, officers reported that stones and pyrotechnic devices were thrown at police forces. Two officers were injured, and windows of a police patrol vehicle were shattered. All roadways in the area were later reopened to traffic.

Police said nine individuals suspected of disorderly conduct were taken into custody.

In a statement, police said: “The Israel Police views the right to protest as a cornerstone of a democratic state and allows demonstrations as long as they take place within the framework of the law; however, the police will not permit disturbances of any kind, harm to freedom of movement, or any behavior that could endanger public safety.”

Separately, volunteers from Hatzalah treated a man injured during the protest. Together with paramedics from Magen David Adom, responders provided medical care to a 23-year-old man suffering a head injury. He was evacuated in moderate condition to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva.

Hatzalah medics Eli Biton and Moshe Ashkenazi said: “When we arrived at the scene with a MDA ambulance that we staff, we found a 23-year-old man who was semi-conscious and suffering from a head injury after being harmed by violence during a protest taking place at the location. Together with Hatzalah and MDA medics, we provided him with initial medical treatment, including stabilization and bandaging, and evacuated him in moderate condition for further care in the trauma room at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva.”

{Matzav.com}