An Arab crowd of several dozen masked men carrying rocks, bricks, and bats, attacked dozens of Jewish-owned vehicles around 4 AM on Friday on Bar-Lev Road, near Zvhil Square in downtown Jerusalem.
The Chasidic dynasty of Zvhil, whose institutions are located nearby, was founded by Rabbi Moshe of Zvhil, the son of Rabbi Yechiel Michl, the Magid of Zlotshev.
The Arab crowd smashed vehicles and threw rocks and bricks at Jewish pedestrians for several, long minutes. Honenu legal aid society attorney Nati Rom, who drove his car near the scene, was stoned by the raging mob and called the police. Eventually, realizing the rioting mob was looking for blood, Rom fired a warning shot with his personal weapon.
Dozens of vehicles were hit by rocks, and many Jewish lives were in danger before Rom’s shot drove the Arab crowd back for a short time, long enough for police forces to arrive on the scene and disperse the rioters with stun grenades and tear gas.
Attorney Rom described his experience (see video below): “Today at four in the morning I return from work towards the hotels’ junction on Route 1 in downtown Jerusalem, when suddenly dozens of rioters run into the intersection with rocks in their hands starting to pelt vehicles as well as many pedestrians who were there. People start screaming, it’s really very scary, the rioters start to close in to reach us, and they keep throwing stones, vehicles are smashed everywhere, people are hit, I fire one shot in the air which discourages the rioters and they start to flee and our lives are saved.”