Dozens of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters arrived Thursday night at the Ashkelon home of Brig.-Gen. Yuval Yamin, the head of the military police, in a demonstration against the arrests of haredi draft dodgers by the military police.
Police arrived at the scene in an attempt to disperse them.
The IDF denounced the protests, saying, "We strongly condemn any attempt to harm security forces personnel and their families," according to a report from N12 News.
Protest against haredi draft bill increase
Groups of ultra-Orthodox men have repeatedly conducted protests amid increasing tensions regarding a haredi draft bill in the Knesset.
Last week, haredi protesters broke into Yamin's yard at a time when his family was home.
Protestors also blocked the Bar-Ilan street area of Jerusalem on Sunday, disrupting public order and movement in the area, according to police statements.
The police said that, while freedom of expression and lawful protests are allowed, it would not permit a "blatant violation of public order."
Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir pushed for large numbers of haredim to be drafted into the military, citing manpower shortages.
The IDF "must grow, and quickly," he said, arguing that additional manpower is not only a matter of burden-sharing but also of operational capability amidst expanding IDF missions.
Zamir warned during a security cabinet meeting in late March that the IDF could soon collapse if there is no solution to the shortage.