Despite the recent kenos and agreement reached to abide by daas Torah regarding the Binyan Shalem project in Beit Shemesh, Asra Kadisha activists were out in force Monday, 6 Elul 5773. Despite the rulings of Eida Chareidi Ravaad HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch on the matter, Asra Kadisha fanatics are unwilling to abide by the posek’s rulings, to the extent last week a number of them attacked an elderly developer involved in advancing the project. Bayit Vegan resident Aryeh Golovnititz (גולובנציץ) was beaten so badly by the thugs who arrived at his home; he was hospitalized with a possible fractured skull.
On Monday morning, the Asra Kadisha activists were back and they used their bodies to prevent ongoing construction. A number of arrests were made. Police estimate about 100 protestors were on hand. The protests began on Sunday, albeit a much smaller and calmer event, as the heavy equipment began arriving on the site, signaling the imminent continuation of the project.
Protests followed in Beit Shemesh and Meah Shearim following the arrests, including setting garbage dumpsters ablaze. There were at least 14 reported arrests in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh. City officials sent trucks to collect area garbage dumpsters so hoodlums could not set them ablaze.
