The Women of the Wall conducted a Rosh Chodesh service at the back of the Western Wall plaza on Wednesday morning, despite the presence of protesters and a police barricade.

The 300 women were not able to pray directly in front of the wall due to a large crowd of strictly Orthodox protesters who were screaming and chanting while standing between the feminist group and the holy site.

Reportedly, the Israeli police had promised to escort the Women of the Wall directly to the women’s area of the Kotel, but the plan was derailed when the area became overcrowded.

Women of the Wall chairwoman Anat Hoffman said in a statement: “We will not forget that the Torah is exiled from the Western Wall, due to the discriminatory misuse of power by Rabbi [Shmuel] Rabinowitz.” Rabinowitz is the rabbi of the Western Wall.

In April, an Israeli judge ruled that the Women of the Wall were permitted to pray at the Western wall.