Jerusalem’s Cafe Basimta says it may close on Saturdays amid weekly Haredi protests

Cafe Basimta, a coffeehouse in central Jerusalem that has been targeted by ultra-Orthodox protesters for being open on Shabbat, is considering closing on Saturdays in response to the growing pressure.

The protests have been increasingly intense in recent weeks, and some worry that the situation may escalate out of control.

The cafe will make a final decision on the matter in the coming days, its spokesperson says.

Since early July, dozens of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators, many of them minors, have been protesting outside the cafe every Shabbat.

In some cases, protesters have banged on the cafe’s windows, overturned tables, and even tried to force their way inside. Last month, a woman glued the cafe’s lock, causing a brief delay in its opening.

Counter-protests in favor of the cafe remaining open on Shabbat are also held, with police on the scene to minimize confrontation between the groups.

The dispute is complicated by the fact that the cafe is an official project of Jews for Jesus, a Christian missionary organization that seeks to convert Jews to believe in Jesus.