100 injured as Palestinians clash with far-Right protesters in East Jerusalem over TikTok videos
More than a hundred Palestinians and 20 Israeli police officers have been wounded in east Jerusalem during clashes with an extreme-Right group that chanted “death to Arabs.”
Israeli police said 44 people were arrested during confrontations between Palestinians, who were protesting Ramadan restrictions, and the ultra-nationalist Lehava group which was marching against a series of anti-Jewish attacks.
The attacks were posted on the video messaging app TikTok, including one clip where an Arab teenager slaps an ultra-orthodox Jewish man on the train. In another, a Jewish teenager was beaten by Palestinian youths in the street.
Israeli police deployed stun grenades and water cannons as they tried to keep the groups of protesters apart during the latest night of disturbances over Ramadan in east Jerusalem.
Stones and bottles were also thrown by both sides, while at least one car and a bus stop were set ablaze.
An Israeli police spokesman added that “hundreds of rioters began disrupting the order violently including throwing stones and objects at forces stationed near the Old City."
The Palestinian Red crescent that it had treated 105 people for injuries and that 20 people were hospitalised on Thursday night.
There have been nightly clashes around the Old City since the start of Ramadan on April 13, with Palestinians complaining that police were blocking access to the promenade around the walls.
The area is a popular gathering place for Palestinians after the end of the daytime Ramadan fast.
Tensions have also been running high in Jerusalem over a series of videos posted online in recent days showing young Arabs attacking ultra-Orthodox Jews.
They include a video posted on TikTok which shows a young Arab slapping an ultra-orthodox Jewish man.
More videos posted on social media on Thursday night also showed Palestinians attacking ultra-Orthodox Jews in the early hours of Friday.
Meanwhile, Israeli police said 20 officers were wounded, three of whom were taken to hospital. They added that more than 50 people were detained overnight and had been taken to a court hearing on Friday morning.
According to the Israeli broadcaster Kan, some far-Right activists had intended the demonstrations to turn violent, citing one Whatsapp message sent by a protester which said: “Today we will burn Arabs, the Molotov cocktails are already in the bag.”
