8 Haredim arrested in protest over Jerusalem parking lot

At least eight ultra-Orthodox men were arrested Saturday for blocking the entrance to Jerusalem's Karta parking lot, in the latest Haredi protest against it operating on Shabbat.

Police dispersed hundreds of Haredi demonstrators who tried to block the street leading to the parking lot.

Protests against the opening of the parking lot, which began in June, have continued in recent weeks despite talks between Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and leaders of the Eda Haredit, a particularly strict Hasidic community.

Two weeks ago, 15 ultra-Orthodox men were arrested and one policeman injured in particularly violent protests that were broken up only by use of heavy force by the police, which brought in mounted policemen to push the protesters back from the road.

The controversy began in June, when the Jerusalem municipality decided to open the parking lot to accommodate visitors to the Old City.