Thousands of haredi protesters gathered in Jerusalem's Bar-Ilan Street Friday evening to demonstrate against Mayor Nir Barkat's decision to open the capital's Carta parking lot on Saturdays.

Approximately 150 people were praying silently near the parking lot. Several dozen others were doing the same in Bayit Vagan Street.

Some demonstrators attacked journalists covering the event, striking their vehicles and spitting towards them. Police helped the reporters leave the scene without harm.

On Thursday the Jerusalem District Court agreed to the municipality's request to open the parking lot, located opposite the Old City's Jaffa Gate, instead of the municipal lot at Safra Square, which has sparked an explosive haredi-secular conflict. However, the haredi community vowed that its protests would go on.

On Tuesday, Barkat had said that if the court did not agree to allow the opening of the Carta parking lot - which is currently in receivership - by this weekend, he would reopen the municipal lot.

Judge Yosef Shapira said in his decision that "I am expressing my wish, as well as that of the majority of citizens, when I say that I hope this solution of opening the Carta parking lot instead of Safra Square will bring quiet and calm to the city of Jerusalem and its residents from all sectors."

The municipality said in a statement that the Carta parking lot gave the best solution to safety problems due to its location, size and proximity to the center of the problem.

It said that the opening of the Carta lot made opening Safra Square redundant. The statement went on to say that Barkat reiterated and stressed that the motive for opening the lot was his commitment to public safety and finding a real solution to the problem in accordance with police demands.

Nevertheless, Yosef Rosenfeld, head of the haredi Committee for Sanctity of Shabbat, was dissatisfied with the solution and said that the haredi community would continue to protest.