Jerusalem car park protests in 10th week

JERUSALEM - Demonstrations by ultra-Orthodox Jews against the opening of a west Jerusalem car park on the Jewish holy day continued for the 10th week on Saturday.

“A thousand protesters from the ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim district gathered on the edge of their neighbourhood and stopped vehicles from passing,� a police spokesman told AFP.

Several hundred others tried to block the entrance to the Carta car park near Jerusalem’s Old City, he said.

The ultra-Orthodox Jews are unhappy about a decision by secular Mayor Nir Barkat to open the car park under City Hall on Shabbat, which runs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.

On Friday a demonstrator was injured by a car during clashes between protesters and mounted police.

The city council believes opening the car park in the popular tourist and shopping district is essential for the city’s economic development.

Ultra-Orthodox families form about a third of Jerusalem’s half-million Jewish population, but only a hard core have joined the car park protests.