Anti-Semitic protest turns violent in Argentina

Police in Buenos Aires, Argentina arrested at least five people after anti-Semitic demonstrators clashed Sunday with Jews marking the 61st anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, police said.

During the Jewish group's ceremony, demonstrators waving anti-Semitic signs stepped in and violence broke out, and five people were arrested after the scuffle, authorities said.

An anti-discrimination police unit had to escort Israeli Ambassador Daniel Gazit away from the fracas.

According to the organizers, a number of Jews were beaten and required medical attention.

"It was frightening," Enrique Greenberg, one of the organizers, told Ynet. According to him, the clashes lasted 15 minutes.

"We were in complete shock. Anti-Israel protests were held during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, but what happened here is highly unusual. Only three weeks ago we celebrated Israel's Independence Day without any incidents," he said.

"The crowd urged us to carry on with the festivities. The people refused to leave and asked that we do not let them (anti-Semites) win or break our spirit. This is a testament to the strength of the Jewish community here."

Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America.

The South American country has seen two deadly anti-Jewish terror strikes. A car bombing of a Jewish charities headquarters building here killed 85 and left 300 injured in 1994, while an attack on the Israeli embassy two years earlier killed 22 people and left 200 hurt.