Modesty patrol

A modesty patrol (Hebrew: משמרת צניעות; also modesty guard, modesty squad, chastity squad, etc.) is a type of criminal gang which fights what it deems violations of Tzniut (modesty) in the Haredi public through violence and intimidation. Such groups are said to operate in several predominantly Haredi communities in Israel. Alleged members of modesty patrols have been arrested by the Israel Police, and at least one has been sentenced to prison for assault. Within the Haredi public, both support for and opposition to modesty patrols has been reported. According to Haaretz, some violent incidents attributed to modesty patrols may be linked to the Committee for Preserving Our Camp's Purity, a Haredi organization in Jerusalem headed by Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Shpernovitz. Shpernovitz himself has stated that modesty patrols are a journalistic myth and do not exist.

Incidents attributed to modesty patrols

 * In June 2008, a modesty patrol in Beitar Illit was suspected of spilling acid on a teenage girl for wearing pants.
 * In August 2008, the Israel State Prosecutor's office indicted seven men, allegedly from a Jerusalem modesty squad, for beating a woman and threatening her with death regarding her relationships with men. The ringleader was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, aggravated assault, and extortion. In the same month, a man said to be a member of a chastity squad was arrested for alleged involvement in the torching of a store selling MP4 players.

Languages
משמרת הצניעות משמרת הצניעות