Vigilante Tzniut

These types of stories always give that warm, fuzzy feeling:

More and more women in Jerusalem’s Geula neighborhood have been complaining of being sprayed with a bleach mix.

The attacks mark an escalation of the religious fanatics’ battle against what they refer to as the ‘promiscuity’ on the haredi streets and the infiltration of ‘fashion’ that often times does not correspond with the strict dress codes in the community.

...A vendor at one of the local clothing stores said she felt something wet dripping on her shirt as she was walking down the street. At first she thought someone poured water over her, but later realized that she had been sprayed with bleach.

...Until recently the religious zealots focused their battle against the clothing stores: Last week yeshiva students arrived at a women’s clothing store on Amos Street and destroyed thousands of shekels worth of merchandise with bleach. The store was shut down immediately and a men’s clothing store was set up in its place.

About six months ago a store from the same chain was set ablaze in Bnei Brak.

I presume that the destruction of other people's property is deemed halachically correct by the crazies who are doing so because they figure that they are preventing people from committing what they believe to be sins. I'm sure it will surprise no one that that sort of reasoning just doesn't resonate with me.

I find it difficult to believe that these sorts of scare tactics accomplish much in the way of changing people's dressing or shopping habits in the long run. I also find it difficult to believe that there are many halachic authorities who would recommend this sort of destructive, coercive behavior as the proper course of action.

At least I hope there aren't.