Police announce boosted manpower in Jerusalem ahead of Friday Ramadan prayers

Jerusalem Police say they will be boosting manpower for Friday Ramadan prayers in the capital, in the wake of violent clashes on and around the Temple Mount in recent days.

Police say around 2,300 police officers, Border Police officers are other security officers will deploy throughout the city tomorrow, in particular around the Old City and East Jerusalem, as well as checkpoints entering Jerusalem.

Several roads around the Old City will be shut to vehicular traffic from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., police say.

“In the past two days we have seen hundreds of rioters and lawbreakers who barricaded themselves on the Temple Mount in an attempt to destroy the routine [Ramadan] prayers and visits to the Temple Mount,” Jerusalem Police say in a statement. “Police call on the worshipers to act to prevent those lawbreakers from disrupting the Muslims’ Ramadan routine and desecrating the mosque.”