#HolyLand #Jerusalem – A group of young Israeli men pepper-sprayed a 9-year-old Armenian Christian boy in the face last week during Yom Kippur (September 20-21st). The young Armenian boy was riding his bicycle in Jerusalem during the religious holiday.
The child, identified as William, was cycling near the Mamilla area outside the Old City and listening to music through headphones when a group of young Israeli men stopped him. They demanded that he remove his headphones. After he complied and spoke in English, one of them sprayed him, according to Channel 13 and journalist Yossi Eli, who described the attackers as “Jewish extremists” while others identified them as Zionists and supremacists.
William’s mother said her son has had trouble sleeping since the attack and has become afraid of strangers. She told reporters it was the second time he had been targeted by radicals. On the earlier occasion his father was with him and was able to intervene. This time the boy was alone.
Security cameras recorded the incident. Israeli police initially closed the case without making arrests. After the reports became public, Israeli media reported that the investigation was being reopened and that the video would be collected as evidence. No arrests had been announced at the time of the initial reports.
At this time, only speculation is available on the motive of the assault. William’s mother believed that the attackers had pepper-sprayed him because he did not speak Hebrew. Likewise, due to the boy riding a bicycle on Yom Kippur, it is possible that the group of attackers targeted him for engaging in an act prohibited under Rabbinic Jewish law on that religious holiday. After he spoke English, the attackers likely decided to pepper-spray him as speaking in English identified him as a gentile and foreigner. This incident has become one of many attacks against gentiles and Christians in Jerusalem and nearby region.
The CCTV footage has not been released to the public, but is in police possession. The only footage of the incident that has been made public is of 9-year old William receiving treatment from paramedics.
Cover Image: A still image taken from the public footage of William recovering and with paramedics.
