Police arrest 4 people who took part in protest march against racist Jaffa assault

Police arrest four people who partook in a stormy march last night to protest the alleged assault of a pregnant Arab woman by Jews in Jaffa.

“Due to the fear of rioting and harm to the public peace, four additional participants in yesterday’s demonstration were arrested a short time ago,” police say.

The woman, 30-year-old Hanan Abu Shehadeh, recounted to Arabic outlets being pepper-sprayed by three Jewish assailants while driving with her two kids in the city’s Ajami neighborhood.

The assailants, taking advantage of the car’s rolled-down windows, shouted racist epithets and spat on her 7-year-old daughter, she said.

After news spread of the incident, hundreds of outraged Arab residents marched to the site of the attack, accusing the government of complicity.

Participants chanted, “Tell the Shin Bet dogs we’re not afraid of conflict,” referring to Israel’s internal security agency.

This morning, a Muslim cleric was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence at the march.

Police are still searching for the suspected assailants and have called for the public’s help in tracking them down, in order to “get to the truth of the matter and clarify the circumstances of the incident.”