Police release video of Beitar Jerusalem riots
Security camera at McDonald's restaurant in which Beitar Jerusalem fans rioted shows brawl with restaurant employees
A day after the Beitar Jerusalem rally, which turned violent, Jerusalem police released Tuesday a video documenting several of the soccer team's fans breaking into a Jerusalem McDonald's restaurant, kicking Arab employees and throwing chairs at them.
Two Beitar Jerusalem fans were arrested Monday, under suspicion of assaulting the McDonald's Arab employees.
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The Jerusalem Magistrates Court remanded the two suspects until Sunday. A third suspect was placed under house arrest.
At the remand hearing, police representative Officer Shlomi Ben Dor said that "on their way to the (Beitar Jerusalem) practice field, a group of fans stopped at the McDonald's. One of the employees, of Arab origin, stepped outside to clean the tables, as several of the fans started talking to him. Once they realized he was an Arab they started yelling 'death to Arabs,' 'Muhammad the homo,' and other slurs the mind cannot tolerate."
Ben Dor added "they started attacking the Arab and later on, when he managed to escape into the restaurant, the suspects, accompanied by others who have not yet been arrested, started… throwing chairs into the restaurant. Undercover officers at the scene arrested the suspects."
Images from the restaurant's security cameras show the fans gathering and later rioting and striking the employees. The employees then run into the restaurant, pick up chairs and throw them at the entrance, as the fans hurl the chairs back at the Arabs.
Jerusalem District Police Commander Major-General Yossi Parienti addressed the attacks, saying "The rioting of the Beitar Jerusalem fans yesterday and the assault of the McDonald's employees is a serious and grave matter," adding that police recommended that the suspects face harsh penalties.
According to police, the incident took place Monday as part of a rally of Beitar Jerusalem fans.
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