Thousands of people have gathered in a town near Jerusalem to protest against ultra-Orthodox Jews whose campaign for gender segregation has erupted into verbal and physical abuse against women.<br /><br />There were no clashes on Tuesday in Beit Shemesh between the participants and the residents who have recently been filmed spitting at a woman and verbally harassing an eight-year-old girl.<br /><br />Protesters held signs at the protest saying "Free Israel from religious coercion" and "Stop Israel from becoming Iran".<br /><br />Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports from Beit Shemesh, 30km to the west of Jerusalem.
