2 Jerusalem residents charged with assaulting Arabs in suspected hate crime

Two Jerusalem residents are indicted for assaulting a group of Arabs in a suspected hate crime last month.

According to the indictment filed at the Jerusalem District Court, 21-year-old Avihu Cohen and an unnamed 16-year-old minor were among over 15 people who went looking for Arab residents of the city on the night of September 26.

After finding four Arabs from the Beit Safafa neighborhood, Cohen approached one of them in a threatening manner and punched him in the face, the indictment says.

As the Arabs fled, Cohen and the others gave chase while throwing stones and cursing them, according to the indictment, and after one of the Beit Safafa residents fell to the ground members of the group punched, kicked and used an electric shocker on him, as well as beating him with bicycle helmets.

Cohen and the minor are charged with causing serious injury under aggravated circumstances for racist motives and assault that results in serious injury under aggravated circumstances for racist motives.

The minor, who the indictment says ran from police when officers came to his house, is also indicted for violating a legal order and interfering with a police officer.