Kikar is reporting on the filming of a movie in the streets of Bnei Braq. This itself is not interesting, and neither are the details of the movie and who is filming it.

What is interesting about this is that the locals are upset, saying that the kids are standing around and watching the filming, and this sets a bad educational example for the kids. They have complained to the City Council and have requested that the Iryah not grant the film crew any permits for this. The Iryah's response was, and this is the interesting part, that they have not granted any permits, but there are no permits to grant - the streets of Bnei Braq are a public space and people can do in the street as they please.

Something is not so straight here. When cities want something to happen in the street or do not want something to happen in the street, they have a lot of tools at their disposal to make things happen, or to prevent them from happening. They might be right that it is a public space and anybody can do as they please, but I am surprised they have not tried to hound the film crew and do whatever possible to make it difficult.

That is definitely not the common attitude employed regarding the public space in Haredi areas. I wonder if expressing it like this is indicative of some new approach or understanding that will spread. Or if others will now take advantage of this public statement in some way - either to antagonize the locals (in Bnei Braq or elsewhere) by doing things intentionally against the local atmosphere (in either direction) just to provoke.

The "public space" and the rules that rule it have not changed, but the attitude expressed is one that is not common, especially by the people who expressed it.