Police in Jerusalem were preparing for fierce clashes tomrrow, as ultra-orthodox Jewish demonstrators threatened to escalate protests over a car park, which they say desecrates the Sabbath.

The religious protesters have hurled rocks, set fire to rubbish bins and denounced the police as "Nazis" who would "burn in hell" during demonstrations over the past few weeks against the city council's decision to provide free municipal parking near Jerusalem's Old City for tourists on Saturdays.

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The ultra-orthodox sector – also called "Haredi" or God-fearing – adheres to strict religious codes, of which observing the Sabbath is a central tenet.

They view the decision to open a municipal parking lot as a move that sanctions driving, and indirectly promotes trading on Saturdays – both forbidden according to ultra-orthodox practice – and hence considers it to be a city-wide cancellation of the Sabbath.

"Our struggle is not over a car park, but about the character of Jerusalem," said Shmuel Poppenheim, of the ultra-religious Eda Haredit group, which has organised most of the protests.

"If the mayor decides today that he can open a car park on a Saturday, who knows what he will decide to do tomorrow."