A dramatic overnight confrontation in Ashdod ended with police releasing a yeshiva bochur who had been detained as an alleged draft evader, after dozens of chareidi protesters descended on the scene and demanded his immediate release.

The incident unfolded late Thursday night near the Big shopping complex in Ashdod. Police officers conducting a traffic stop pulled over a vehicle carrying several yeshiva students. During the inspection, officers discovered that one of the passengers had been classified by the IDF as a draft evader.

Police detained the bochur and summoned military police to take custody of him.

Within minutes, messages began circulating through chareidi communities under the headline “The kidnappers have arrived,” prompting a rapid mobilization. Dozens of protesters quickly gathered at the location, surrounding the officers and calling for the release of the yeshiva student.

As concerns mounted that the situation could escalate into a larger public disturbance and potentially block a major traffic artery at the entrance to the city, the officer in charge reportedly ordered the immediate release of the bochur and instructed that the checkpoint be dismantled.

Following the release, the protesters broke out into dancing, singing “Utzu Eitzah V’sufar,” celebrating what they viewed as a successful effort to prevent the transfer of the yeshiva student into the custody of the military police.

The crowd subsequently dispersed from the area without further incident.

{Matzav.com}