Five Jews indicted for beating Arab cleaner in Jerusalem

The five, including four minors, were indicted under aggravated circumstances and causing physical harm in racist-motivated attack of municipal sanitation worker.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated: MARCH 18, 2016 00:16
Gavel [Illustrative] (photo credit: INIMAGE)
Gavel [Illustrative]
(photo credit: INIMAGE)
Five Jews, including four minors, were indicted in the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday for aggravated assault and causing physical harm.
According to the indictment, Netanel Goldenberg, 19, and four 17-year-old youths whose names are under gag order, followed a man who appeared to be an Arab on March 11 in order to confront and attack him.
At 7 a.m., the group arrived at Liberty Bell Park and started calling out “Death to Arabs.”
Next, they saw two municipal sanitation workers, one of who appeared to be Arab.
They cursed him, saying “You Arab son-of-a-bitch, your Muhammad was a pig,” and when he did not respond, they continued to curse him.
Eventually, the sanitation worker responded, “What did I do to you? Why do you curse?” One of the defendants responded, “Now I’ll show you, son-of-a-bitch,” and screamed, “Death to Muhammad.”
The defendants then shoved the man to the ground, punching and kicking him in the face, back and stomach for several minutes, scratching his face, chest and knees, and causing pain throughout his body.
The second municipal worker tried to separate the defendants from the man they were beating, yelling that he and the victim were city employees, and cameras were recording the attack.
One of the defendants is alleged to have stolen the victim’s cellphone, removed the SIM card, and deleted all traces of the victim so that he could use the phone for himself.
The prosecution requested to keep Goldenberg in police custody until the end of the trial.