Haredi demonstrators arrested during anti-draft protest
Haredi demonstrators arrested during anti-draft protestFLASH90

Haredi anti-draft demonstrators arrested during protests across the country last week have refused to provide their names or ID numbers to authorities, leading police to mark those arrested with numbers on their arms and hands.

Some 120 demonstrators were taken into custody last week during the protests, which came after two haredi draft-dodgers were apprehended during a traffic stop and transferred to military police.

Of the 120 people arrested, 27 initially refused to identify themselves, Behadrei Haredim reported Sunday evening.

The 27 individuals who refused to provide their names or ID numbers are associated with the Yerushalmi Faction, which organized last week’s demonstrations.

Led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, the Yerushalmi Faction (Jerusalem Faction) opposes haredi enlistment in the IDF, and has called upon supporters not to cooperate with IDF draft officials even for the purposes of requesting draft deferments as yeshiva students.

While most of the 120 people arrested were freed less than 24 hours after the protests Thursday night, the 27 who refused to cooperate with authorities were held until Sunday.

When the remaining arrestees were brought before a judge Sunday, they agreed to identify themselves, and were released shortly thereafter. Each of the 27 arrestees was required to post a 1000 shekel ($287) bail before being freed.

Between the time of their arrest Thursday night, however, and the hearing Sunday, police marked the 27 for identification purposes, using markers to label each with a number on their hand or arm.