Water cannons were fired at ultra-Orthodox Jews who took to the streets of Jerusalem on Thursday (30 October) to protest plans to draft them into the military. The protest largely crippled the city, with roads closed and public transportation halted. Footage shows police blasting water cannons at the crowds, causing them to flee the area. Israeli police said protesters were breaching public order by throwing stones at the officers operating on site and setting fires. More than 2,000 officers were deployed.

The protest is expected to paralyse parts of Jerusalem, as demonstrators take to the streets over changes to an exemption from military service.

JERUSALEM: Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, dressed in black, rallied in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest against military conscription, an issue that has caused major…