Mass Protests Erupt at Vizhnitz-Merkaz After "Poster War" Ignites Bnei Brak
Bnei Brak’s Ezra Street is the site of a massive standoff as hundreds protest outside the Vizhnitz-Merkaz Beit Midrash. Following a violent morning clash, large police forces are working to prevent a total breakdown of order in the city.
Ezra Street has been transformed into a virtual battleground this afternoon as hundreds of protesters have gathered outside the Great Beit Midrash of the Vizhnitz-Merkaz Hasidic sect. The massive demonstration marks a significant escalation in internal Haredi tensions, fueled by controversial posters and what community insiders are calling a "blood libel" of false rumors.
The unrest began early this morning when several young men from the Litvish (Non-Hasidic) sector were reportedly caught "red-handed" hanging provocative posters across the city. The signs announced a planned protest against the Vizhnitz-Merkaz leadership, alleging "unconventional conduct" and "personality cult" behaviors within the sect.
A violent physical altercation ensued when members of the Hasidic group attempted to stop the posters from being hung, drawing large crowds of onlookers and deepening the animosity.
As the day progressed, social media was flooded with what Kikar HaShabbat describes as absolute "fake news." Rumors circulated that the "Main" Vizhnitz Hasidic court (the larger sister-branch of the sect) had participated in an attack on the Litvish youth.
Sources familiar with the details have flatly denied these reports, clarifying that the "Main" Vizhnitz branch was not involved in the morning skirmish. Interested parties allegedly attempted to drag the larger Vizhnitz community into the fray to create the appearance of a massive intra-Hasidic war.
Large contingents of Israel Police and Border Police have flooded Ezra Street and surrounding neighborhoods to maintain a "buffer zone" between the hundreds of protesters and the Hasidim currently barricaded inside the Beit Midrash.
While the air is filled with shouting and the situation remains extremely volatile, no injuries have been reported. The protesters continue to shout slogans against the sect’s leadership, while the Hasidim remain on high alert to prevent any breach of their central building.