Armenian Christian Boy Pepper-Sprayed in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur

A nine-year-old Armenian Christian boy was allegedly pepper-sprayed in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur while riding his bicycle with headphones on. The child was reportedly stopped by a Jewish extremist who then sprayed him with pepper spray. Israeli television broadcast footage showing the boy receiving medical attention in an ambulance following the assault. According to his mother's testimony, the attacker stopped her son near the Old City and demanded he remove his headphones. The assault allegedly occurred after the man noticed the child did not speak Hebrew. This is reportedly the second assault the boy has experienced; in the first incident, his father was present and able to protect him, but this time the child was alone. His mother stated that her son has since had difficulty sleeping and developed a fear of people exhibiting outward signs of Jewish religious affiliation. The incident was reportedly captured on surveillance cameras. Despite the footage, police initially closed the case without making an arrest. The investigation is now to be reopened, and the surveillance footage collected for examination. This incident occurs amidst a backdrop of several attacks targeting members of Christian communities in Jerusalem, including recent arrests of suspects for spitting and throwing stones at the Armenian Patriarchate in the Old City.