Police were obviously less than prepared for Sunday night’s protest in Jabel Mukaber, which ended in violence and the arrests of 13 protesters.

Despite the advanced notice, police were caught short-handed when hundreds of protesters made their way to Jerusalem’s Jabel Mukaber neighborhood at about 5:00pm, demanding the government permit the demolition of the home of the Merkaz HaRav terrorist’s family.

The protesters were met at the entrance to the Arab neighborhood of the city, which is located adjacent to Armon HaNatziv, near Talpiot, with officers preventing angry marchers from entering the area. A short time late, Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco declared the march an “illegal assembly,” ordering participants to disband.

While this was taking place, dozens of the protesters, who used dirt roads and other means of access, succeeded in entering the neighborhood and they immediately began indiscriminately hurling rocks and objects at homes and parked vehicles. Angry shouts of “death to terrorists” were heard, as police suddenly realized they lacked the manpower to bring the escalating event under control. Windshields were smashed as were the windows of nearby homes.

While police reinforcements were responding, the protesters inside Jabel Mukaber continued to randomly express their rage. They did not however reach the home of the Merkaz terrorist, Ala Abu Dheim.

Police moved in with unjustifiable force according to participants of the event, with members of the Yassam tactical force using batons and other force against the unarmed protesters, many of them youths and teens.

At the end, 13 arrests were reported and police did finally bring the situation under control after approximately three hours. One policeman was reportedly injured lightly.

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(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)