All 26 individuals detained following Sunday’s unrest in Bnei Brak have now been released after multiple courts ordered suspects freed to house arrest and attorneys accused police of carrying out unnecessary “show arrests.”

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ruled that two men taken into custody during the disturbances would be placed under house arrest for five days. Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan found there was reasonable suspicion that one of the suspects had assaulted a police officer, although she noted the level of suspicion was not particularly strong. She also determined there was reasonable suspicion that the second suspect had assaulted an officer and taken part in an unlawful assembly.

In a separate proceeding, the Bat Yam Juvenile Court ordered the release to house arrest of four additional suspects who had been arrested in connection with the clashes. About 20 other detainees were freed last night, meaning that every person apprehended during the protests has since been released.

Attorneys Shlomo Haddad and Itai Cohen, who are representing several of those detained, sharply criticized law enforcement’s actions. “Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, these were show arrests. Minors and adults alike were forcefully pulled into police vehicles, seemingly with the intent of creating a deterrent and awareness effect, not due to real suspicion of a crime.”

They continued, “Most of the detainees are bystanders who did not participate in the events and did not commit any offenses. We strongly condemn the handling of the situation and will assert our clients’ rights fully within the legal proceedings.”

The confrontation began Sunday afternoon when two female soldiers from the Education Corps, stationed at the Havat Shomer base, arrived in the city to visit the home of a young man scheduled to enlist in the coming weeks. Onlookers reportedly assumed the women were military police officers delivering draft papers.

A crowd soon formed around the soldiers, attempting to get close to them. Police units dispatched to the area removed the soldiers from the scene. During the effort to disperse the gathering, three police officers were hurt and required medical treatment.

Even after the soldiers were evacuated, the disorder continued. Demonstrators overturned a police vehicle and set a police motorcycle ablaze.

Police said stones were hurled at officers amid the violence and noted that the torched motorcycle contained tefillin and a prayer book. The Police Commissioner directed officers to respond with zero tolerance and to track down those responsible for the rioting.