Three Eritrean migrants arrested on suspicion of raping a girl near Tel Aviv’s central bus station last month were charged Friday with sexual assault and attempted rape, but not rape.
The lesser charge came after the state prosecution found that the 15-year-old girl successfully fended off her attackers, despite police finding the suspects’ DNA on the victim.
The assault took place on Independence day at 4:30 a.m. after the woman and her boyfriend returned to their car from a night of fun. According to the indictment, served in Tel Aviv District Court, one man held down the boyfriend while two others attacked the woman. The victim managed to keep her legs closed and fended off the attackers, who eventually fled after stealing jewelry, clothes money and cell phones from the two.
The attack was one of a rash of crimes in south Tel Aviv that set off protests by neighborhood residents and right-wing politicians against the presence of African asylum-seekers in the neighborhood.
On Wednesday night, the protests turned violent and 12 people were arrested for attacking migrants. According to a report in Maariv on Thursday, the Public Security Ministry is considering asking for Border Police officers to be deployed in the neighborhood, to keep the peace between asylum-seekers and locals.
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