Jaffa/ Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – The ongoing violence in Jerusalem spread to Jaffa on Tuesday evening, when some residents of the mixed Jewish-Arab city taking part in a protest began rioting and throwing rocks at cars. Six police officers were lightly wounded in the incident and were evacuated to Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, and four youths were arrested, Israel Hayom reported.

The incident began with a demonstration, held without a police permit, in which Arab protesters carried signs and Palestinian Authority flags in a show of support for the Islamic Movement’s Northern Branch and the Arab rioters who have clashed with Israeli security forces on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in recent weeks. Patrol officers from the Yiftach District of the Israel Police allowed the demonstration to proceed, despite the lack of a permit, for the sake of allowing the protesters to have their say.

Eventually, demonstrators began throwing rocks at cars and buses driving down Yefet Street as well as at a yeshiva on Toulouse Street. They also blocked off streets with garbage cans and tires. When the rioting was at its height, a bus traveling toward Rishon Lezion came under a heavy barrage of rocks, which broke some of its windows. The driver opened the doors to allow the passengers to escape.

Some of the rioters wore masks. Police attempting to disperse the mob also became targets for rock-throwers. When the protest got out of hand, additional police from Tel Aviv and neighboring city precincts were scrambled to the scene. It took about an hour for order to be restored.