Chareidi Protesters Injured by Stun Grenades, 21-Year-Old Suffers Severe Leg Injuries Amid Draft Arrest Demonstrations

Several chareidi protesters, including teenagers and a pregnant woman, were injured during violent overnight confrontations with Israeli police in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, as disturbing footage emerged showing officers throwing stun grenades toward demonstrators, including individuals sitting on the roadway.

The clashes erupted during protests over the arrest of newlywed yeshiva bochur Yaari Lieberman, who was reportedly detained in front of his wife while the couple was traveling to a sheva brachos celebration. His arrest triggered widespread anger in the chareidi community and demonstrations against the military’s detention of yeshiva students.

Among the most seriously injured was a 21-year-old man who suffered severe injuries to his lower extremities and was transported in moderate condition to the trauma unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim. Initial reports raised concerns that several of his toes had been severely damaged, although medical authorities had not confirmed that any toes had been amputated or that amputation would be necessary.

According to United Hatzalah, emergency responders treated several additional casualties during the disturbances in Beit Shemesh. A 15-year-old boy sustained moderate injuries in an incident involving a concrete road barrier, while another 15-year-old suffered minor injuries in a separate incident involving a barrier.

A third 15-year-old was moderately injured after being struck in the chest by a grenade. A 14-year-old boy sustained injuries to his limbs from a stun grenade, while a 36-year-old expectant mother also required medical attention and was listed in mild-to-moderate condition.

Footage circulating from the demonstrations appeared to show police officers deploying stun grenades at close range near groups of chareidi protesters, including some who were seated on the pavement. The recordings prompted criticism over the manner in which officers employed crowd-control weapons capable of causing serious injuries.

Safety regulations governing stun grenades prohibit throwing them directly at a person’s body or upper torso and require officers to deploy the devices in accordance with established operational procedures.

Israeli journalist Liran Tamari sharply criticized the police response, writing, “Time and again, police officers are throwing stun grenades at chareidi protesters sitting on the road.”

Tamari questioned whether similar police conduct would have been tolerated had the demonstrators belonged to another sector of Israeli society. He also raised concerns about the apparent lack of investigations into previous incidents in which chareidi protesters were injured by stun grenades, contrasting those cases with investigations launched following police actions at other demonstrations.

The Israel Police, meanwhile, presented a sharply different account of the overnight disturbances, accusing hundreds of demonstrators in Beit Shemesh of throwing stones and other objects at officers, setting garbage dumpsters ablaze, and damaging public infrastructure.

Police also disputed the circumstances surrounding two injuries involving a concrete road barrier, asserting that the individuals apparently sustained their injuries while pushing the barrier themselves.

According to the police account, the incident occurred in an area where officers were not present.

That explanation, however, did not address the separate reports of protesters injured by stun grenades or the circumstances depicted in the videos showing officers deploying the devices near demonstrators.

Additional footage from Beit Shemesh reportedly showed Border Police officers striking demonstrators with batons, while other recordings showed stun grenades being thrown near people gathered in a public garden away from the main roadway. The circumstances surrounding those incidents have prompted calls for closer scrutiny of the police response.

In Yerushalayim, approximately 200 demonstrators blocked the light rail near the Shivtei Yisrael station and disrupted traffic along Chaim Bar-Lev Road. Police deployed a water cannon and stun grenades after declaring the gathering unlawful and ordering protesters to disperse. Officers said some demonstrators refused to leave and threw objects at police.