
The celebration of Baba Sali zt"l: After the police issued an order prohibiting the celebration and then canceled it, this evening (Wednesday) thousands arrived at his grave site in Netivot to pray in close proximity to Zion.
Did you divide? For thousands of years we dreamed of Jerusalem, so now we want to dirty it?
As part of the lesson of the 'Meron disaster', this year, unlike in the past, entry to the Hilula is conducted in a manner that groups of worshippers are allowed to enter the complex one after the other and stay there for only seven minutes. Also, entry is only allowed to the plaza around the tomb building, and there is no entry to 'Zion' itself.
Hundreds of police officers are working to maintain order at Hilula.
During the evening, a disaster almost occurred when crowds found themselves squeezed by the large crowd - and some of the crowd broke through one of the police barriers intended to regulate the crowd. This was after shouts arose from the crowd that people were suffocating due to the crowd. "People were forced to break through the fences to avoid a Meron 2 disaster," said an eyewitness.
At the same time, clashes broke out between worshippers and security guards at the Hilula complex.
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The police say in response: "The videos being distributed are taken out of context and no checkpoint breaches occurred.".
So far, 12 suspects have been arrested during the festivities on suspicion of disorderly conduct, assaulting police officers, and causing local fights in the crowd.
""Police assessments at the scene continue, demonstrating zero tolerance for disorder and violence," the police say.
Netivot, protesters break through police checkpoints in celebration of Baba Sali 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯😲😲😲😲👏 pic.twitter.com/ua8p59YLQw
— 🎗israel lives matter 🙂🙂🙂🙂 (@Skay53867153) January 5, 2022
In the midst of the revelry: Clashes broke out between worshippers and security guards near the tomb of Baba Sali in Netivot@AkivaWeisz (Photo: Updates from Israel and the World) https://t.co/BgaH6QrIPy pic.twitter.com/O94Av5HYjT
— Here News (@kann_news) January 5, 2022