Large-scale demonstrations broke out Monday evening in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh as hundreds of protesters rallied against the arrest of yeshivah bochurim accused of draft evasion. Protesters blocked major roads, set fires on the Yerushalayim light rail tracks, and disrupted traffic throughout several key areas, prompting a large police response.

The protests, led by members of extremist chareidi factions, centered on Bar-Ilan Street and Chaim Bar-Lev Boulevard in Yerushalayim, as well as Yehuda HaNasi Boulevard in Beit Shemesh. The road closures caused significant traffic congestion, forcing many motorists to seek alternate routes.

According to Israel Police, demonstrators threw objects at security forces, blocked roadways, and refused repeated orders to disperse. After a police commander issued formal warnings instructing the crowds to leave and the protesters failed to comply, officers began using crowd-control measures to disperse the demonstrations.

Police officers from the Yerushalayim District, together with Border Police personnel, continued operating at multiple locations throughout the evening in an effort to clear the protesters, reopen the blocked roads, and restore public order.

Authorities urged the public to avoid the affected areas until the demonstrations conclude and advised drivers to use alternate routes due to the ongoing road closures and traffic disruptions.