The State Attorney's Office filed an indictment today (Monday) with the Ashkelon Magistrate's Court against 17 defendants - four of whom are minors - after they participated in a riot and trespassing at the home of the Chief Military Police officer in Ashkelon, during a protest against the conscription of yeshiva graduates into the IDF.
The indictment filed by Attorney Hila Klepper Cohen of the Southern District Attorney's Office indicates that about a month and a half ago, in the evening hours, dozens of demonstrators belonging to the 'Yerushalmi Faction' gathered near the home of the commander, with the aim of protesting against the 'conscription decree'.
Among other things, the demonstrators waved signs that read: "War on the Conscription Law, with actions, not words!""
At one point, shortly after the demonstration began, some of the demonstrators broke through the locked entrance gate to the mayor's house and entered the yard. At the time, his wife and two of his children, one of whom is a minor, were in the house.
Dozens of protesters, including the defendants, entered the yard of the house, onto the balcony and on the steps leading to the house. Some sat or stood there, holding hands. The defendants and the protesters sang protest songs, waved signs, and shouted insults against the KAMZR and the IDF, while the family members were besieged in their house, unable to leave it safely - while dozens of additional protesters crowded into the entrance area from the street.
According to the indictment, as a result of the riot, the family members of the chief of police felt fear and apprehension that they would be harmed, closed the shutters of the house, locked the front door and called the police.
Following police actions at the scene, the riot was stopped and the defendants were arrested.
It also appears that during the riot, damage was caused to the locking mechanism of the entrance gate, parts of the house wall were broken, and damage was caused to the balcony tiles and nearby vegetation.
The total damage is estimated in thousands of shekels.
The defendants were charged with rioting, trespassing to commit a crime, and malicious damage.
At the same time, Attorney Klapper Cohen filed a request to set conditions for the defendants' release, among other things to ensure their appearance for the continuation of the legal proceedings.
The case was investigated by the Ashkelon Police Station.
