The Israel Police enforced a ban on protests near the homes of elected officials during the Sabbath for the first time on Saturday night. The enforcement took place at Jerusalem’s Paris Square, adjacent to the prime minister’s official residence, where officers confiscated sound equipment from demonstrators citing rules prohibiting noise during the Sabbath.

Authorities presented protesters with a document outlining restrictions on Sabbath demonstrations, drawn from a 2024 agreement approved by the High Court of Justice. While similar restrictions exist for other protest locations, police did not enforce them there during the same period. The Protest Detainee Legal Support Front, which provides legal aid for arrested demonstrators, has indicated it may challenge the police’s application of these rules in court.

The incident occurred as speakers, including former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and attorney Gonen Ben-Izhak, addressed a crowd of several dozen outside the prime minister’s residence. Police officers confiscated public address systems, megaphones, and drums after instructing protesters to cease amplified noise. Police said the use of high-volume amplification before the conclusion of the Sabbath disrupted nearby residents, prompting the seizure of equipment when protesters declined to comply.

The restrictions stem from a court-mediated arrangement following a 2024 petition filed by activist Isay Hadas, who had previously been barred from demonstrating near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gazah Road residence. The arrangement delineated where and when protests could take place during the Sabbath, with stipulations that noise must remain within legally permissible limits. Police maintained that these conditions, formalized through a compromise between the prosecution and Hadas’ legal team, are binding.

Traditionally, Saturday protests in Jerusalem have commenced after the Sabbath to accommodate observant participants. However, groups that had previously held demonstrations near Netanyahu’s residence resumed holding protests beginning at 6:30 p.m., during the Sabbath, earlier this year. Since March, authorities have responded with increased enforcement, including arrests and the use of mounted officers and batons, even though the gatherings have generally involved only a few dozen participants. Seventeen protesters have been arrested at Paris Square on Saturdays and an additional seventeen during the week.

The current legal framework follows a 2017 High Court ruling permitting demonstrations without a police permit for groups under 50 people, though subsequent police ordinances have allowed for restrictions on protest organizers. Petitions by residents of Jerusalem neighborhoods near political officials’ homes have sought to limit protests, particularly on noise levels and proximity, but courts have historically not banned Sabbath demonstrations outright.

Critics have expressed concern that police actions are infringing on freedom of expression. Ben-Izhak described the police as acting beyond their legal remit, likening their role to “Sabbath Police” and accusing them of violating both the law and Supreme Court precedents. Attorney Shahar Ben-Meir, who represented petitioners in the 2024 case, contended that police have no authority to impose an outright ban on Sabbath protests, asserting that the court-sanctioned conditions pertain only to the location of demonstrations relative to the prime minister’s residence.

The Israel Police defended their actions on Saturday night, stating they have the authority to regulate protest time, place, and manner. They characterized the Paris Square demonstration as “disorderly” due to the use of amplified equipment before the Sabbath's conclusion and its impact on local residents. The equipment was confiscated only after protesters refused to comply with police instructions to halt amplified sound.