Cell phone footage shows a well-known Tel Aviv eccentric being attacked by a young man several weeks ago as passersby fail to intervene.
Hardly any shoppers at Tel Aviv's Carmel Market are unfamiliar with "Messiah", a long-haired man dressed in a red shiny cape who can invariably be found sitting at the Magen David Square right outside the market.
The man, whose real name is Arcadi, refuses to disclose his full name and calls himself "the messiah."
Approximately four weeks ago he was violently attacked by a young man wearing a black shirt with a Star of David sign printed on it late at night. One eyewitness documented the attack on his cellular phone.
In the clip, a man's voice is heard saying: "Help him already, here comes the patrol car." According to voices heard in the video, the attack was witnessed by several other people, who failed to intervene.
As the victim tried to walk away, the assailant, holding a cigarette, approached him and slammed his head against the pavement. It was only at this stage that passersby were seen trying to persuade the attacker to stop the violence.
Weeks after the incident, Arcadi, 31, returned to the Carmel Market and placed a giant poster with his picture and the words "compassion" and "truth" written next to it.
"It’s not the first time I was attacked. There were several similar incidents in the last couple of months," he told Ynet. "People just see me sitting here and attack me. I'm not going to give up and will continue sitting here.
"At nights I sleep on the beach since the police won’t allow me to sleep here. Regarding that incident – it was just a young drunk bully who for no reason started kicking me but I wasn't seriously injured."
Initial information was received via the Red Mail
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