Police arrest six at ultra-Orthodox protest against Jerusalem cellphone store

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators are protesting outside a store in Jerusalem that apparently sells regular cellphones, as many in the community shun such devices.

Police say damage is caused to the store, and officers arrested six suspects so far for “causing damage and disturbing public order.”

Many ultra-Orthodox people use so-called kosher phones — devices stripped of social media and most other apps, at the advice of rabbis.

Video from the scene shows police dispersing the protesters with a water cannon.

העימותים בגאולה: המשטרה עושה שימוש במכתזית ואלות pic.twitter.com/C3gdkew915

— חיים גולדברג (@haim_goldberg) January 5, 2022

At least one demonstrator is taken to hospital after being hit directly by the water cannon, according to Ynet.

מפגין שנשאר לשחק עם זרם המכתזית נפגע מזרם חזק יותר ופונה לבית החולים לאחר שנפל על המדרכה ונפצע בראשו

צילום: @yedidya_epshtei pic.twitter.com/tVmVFYn0px

— Haim Goldich | חיים גולדיטש (@HGoldich) January 5, 2022