Full Breakdown
Shabbat Opening Triggers Violent Protests at Jerusalem’s Basimta Café
8/1/2026, 8:21:03 PM
Escalating Confrontations
For the fifth consecutive Saturday, ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) protesters gathered outside the Basimta café on Agrippas Street, demanding that the establishment close on Shabbat. Demonstrators banged on the café’s windows, climbed fences and attempted to breach police barriers. Patrons formed a human wall at the entrance, with some pulling at the prayer shawls of protesters. Police initially struggled to contain the crowd, eventually retrieving riot-control equipment and dispersing the demonstrators with batons. Video footage captured a man wrapped in a prayer shawl trying to push inside while secular customers blocked his path.
Political and Community Reactions
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman arrived with supporters and condemned the protesters, arguing that their energy should be directed against Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis rather than “peaceful citizens.” He added that, should his party assume power, the demonstrators would be conscripted and have “no time to demonstrate here.”
Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan accused the police of abandoning the liberal public, saying they failed to prevent violence in advance and allowed “extremist Haredi groups” to intimidate the café. Golan framed the clash as a broader struggle over how Jerusalem’s residents choose to live.
Support also came from religious residents; kippah-wearing neighbors from the Baka and Beit Hakerem neighborhoods visited the café, offering water and apologies on behalf of the Haredi community. Protesters shouted, “Lieberman, go back to communist Russia,” as the politician left the scene.
Café Owner’s Position
Café manager Yoel Ben David emphasized his respect for the religious community, stating he “does not hate Haredim.” He called for mutual peace, saying both groups should be able to pray and drink coffee in harmony. Ben David noted that similar cafés operate on Shabbat in Tel Aviv and Haifa and asked why Jerusalem should be different. He highlighted the ongoing support from secular and religious patrons who continue to frequent the café despite the intimidation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I believe above all in the principle of live and let live. Drinking coffee on a Saturday morning cannot become an act of civic courage,” — Avigdor Liberman, yisrael beytenu chairman
- “I love and respect the religious community and absolutely do not hate haredim,” — Ben David, café manager
- “I want them to be able to pray in peace, for us to be able to drink our coffee in peace, and for all of us to succeed in living here together in harmony.” — Ben David, café manager
- “If it can happen in Tel Aviv or Haifa, why not in Jerusalem?” — Yoel Ben David, café manager
- “Lieberman, go back to communist Russia.” — Avigdor Lieberman, yisrael beytenu chairman
