The entire block on Second Avenue in midtown Manhattan where the Consulate of Israel is located was a sea of black hats and long black coats this afternoon as some 4000 ultra-Orthodox Jews, mostly members of the Satmar Hasidim from the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, demonstrated against the government of Israel and demanded the release of ultra-Orthodox Jews arrested during violent demonstrations in Jerusalem last weekend.
The demonstration, which began at about 3 p.m. was still in progress an hour later. The huge crowd grew as new arrivals streamed into the area, forcing police to divert traffic away from the block between 42nd and 43rd streets and causing mammoth traffic jams as the evening rush hour began.
The demonstration was an uproarious denunciation of Israel and Zionism. Many of the Hasidim wore yellow stars on their arms, symbol of ignominy imposed on Jews by the Nazis. Others were dressed in prison uniforms and hundreds wore sacks over their traditional black garb, the Jewish symbol of mourning.
They waved hundreds of placards, with such inscriptions as “Stop the Massacres”; “It is a Crime to Be a True Religious Jew in Israel”; “Release the Arrested Jews”; “Free the Jewish Hostages”; and “Israel Police: Keep Your Bloody Hands Off Jews.”
Speakers addressed the crowds in Yiddish from the top of a sound truck outside the Consulate building. Behind them, on the truck roof, sat gray-bearded Hasidic sages. About a block away, some 200 ultra-Orthodox women staged a demonstration of their own, separate from the men according to their tradition.
A large force of New York City policemen and policewomen, many carrying clubs and walkie-talkie radios maintained order. The Consulate was cordoned off by police barricades, police cars and trucks. The crowd was swollen by onlookers whom the Hasidim handed leaflets denouncing Israel. The demonstration was the second, though by far the largest outside of the Israeli Consulate this week.
Last Monday, about 400 Satmar Hasidim milled outside the building denouncing Israel as “Nazi” and protesting a “pogrom” by the Israeli police against their people in Israel. The Hasidim claim that 42 ultra-Orthodox Jews were arrested and are still confined in Jerusalem.
According to Shmuel Moyal, a spokesman for the Consulate, members of the sect have been deluging the Consulate all week with telephone calls filled with obscenities and curses. The calls tied up the Consulate’s telephone lines since Monday.
BACKGROUND OF THE DEMONSTRATION
The Consulate said incidents leading to the harassment and demonstrations date back to 1978 when ultra-Orthodox Jews in the Mea Shearim quarter of Jerusalem began the practice of stoning vehicles driving through the quarter on Saturdays along the newly opened Ramot road leading to a north Jerusalem suburb. They tried to block the traffic for violating the Sabbath and damaged many cars over the years.
Last Saturday, the Consulate reported, some 300 ultra-Orthodox Jews from Mea Shearim gathered for a demonstration. A police commander on the spot warned them that the demonstration was illegal. Police dispersed the crowd from the site but they returned later and 17 were arrested.
Last Saturday night, according to the Consulate’s account, disturbances occurred at the Yeshivot Toldot Aharon in the Mea Shearim quarter. Ultra-Orthodox Jews overturned garbage cans, burned garbage and threw stones. Police closed the road but demonstrators hurled rocks and bottles from rooftrops injuring 10 policement. Fifteen demonstrators were arrested but the disturbances continued on Sunday. The Consulate stated that “The police in Israel acted within the law in handling the outbreak of violence. Police will act against all law-breakers and maintain public order.”
The Satmar Hasidim here issued an order to their followers to stay away from work today in order to attend the demonstration outside the Consulate. Moyal accused them of using anti-Semitic, Nazi propaganda against Israel.
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