On Motzoei Shabbos, hundreds of chassidim from Ger took time off from their own bloody civil-war and gathered outside the gates of Military Prison 10 in Beit Lid to protest the arrest of yeshiva students by the army. The demonstration was part of the ongoing wave of outrage over what organizers called the unjust detention of bnei Torah.Journalist Daniel Grobais of Galei Tzahal reported that a contingent from the Peleg Yerushalmi also arrived at the scene. This group, which has been demonstrating against the draft for over a decade, attempted to persuade the chassidic protesters to try to break into the prison, but the area was heavily guarded with strong security measures in place.
Among those present were avreichim from Beitar Illit,a city which is in second place in Israel of having the most poverty and had received direct instructions from the Rebbe to go and demonstrate in solidarity with the young men imprisoned in the military facility.
The Rebbe of Shevet HaLevi traveled from Bnei Brak to the protest, where he led tefillos and delivered words of encouragement on behalf of the detainees and in opposition to the draft decree.
Protesters, joined by members of the Peleg Yerushalmi, chanted together, “Ha’achim Yitzchakov, kulanu itchem” (“Brothers Yitzchakov, we are all with you”). The gathering also saw spirited singing and dancing to the chants “B’shilton hakofrim ein anachnu ma’aminim” (“We do not believe in the rule of the heretics”) and “Utzu eitza v’sufar.
Organizers vowed that this was only the beginning of a larger protest movement that will galvanize the entire chareidi public, declaring that they will not allow yeshiva students to be imprisoned for the “crime” of learning Torah.