Israel Police are preparing on Thursday for protests by members of the ultra-Orthodox community against efforts to arrest IDF draft evaders, while also making preparations for a large event scheduled to take place at Ramat Gan Stadium in the evening, which is expected to draw approximately 17,000 people.
The combination of the two events has raised concerns about heavy traffic congestion and the blocking of major roads throughout the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, requiring police to make special preparations and divide their forces between the two locations.
Dan District police officers will be deployed near the Bnei Brak Interchange and Geha Junction, at the entrance to Petah Tikva, beginning in the early afternoon. The deployment is intended to prepare for the arrival of protesters, prevent road blockages, and avoid potential confrontations between demonstrators and motorists. Police are also considering deploying forces near the Aluf Sadeh Interchange, another major traffic artery in the area.
The police preparations come amid concerns that protests against the arrest of IDF draft evaders could lead to attempts to block major roads, as has occurred during previous ultra-Orthodox demonstrations.
Police are familiar with protest hotspots in and around Bnei Brak, where demonstrations have previously escalated into violent confrontations with officers. In some cases, police have been forced to use force to disperse protesters and reopen blocked roads.
Ramat Gan concert expected to draw 17,000 people
This time, however, police face an additional challenge. A major concert is scheduled to take place at Ramat Gan Stadium in the evening, with approximately 17,000 spectators expected to attend. The influx of concertgoers, along with increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic, is expected to cause significant congestion on roads leading to the stadium and in the surrounding area.
Police will have to manage both events simultaneously, assigning officers to maintain public order at the protest sites while also securing the concert and directing traffic around the stadium.
The main concern is that road blockages during the protests, should they occur, could also affect traffic heading toward Ramat Gan Stadium and cause widespread disruptions throughout the area.
Police are preparing to prevent major roads from being blocked, minimize disruptions to regular traffic, and prevent confrontations between protesters and motorists.
At this stage, it remains unclear how large the demonstrations will be or how many protesters are expected to gather at the various locations.