Jerusalem Police Clash With Residents in Mea Shearim Over Palestinian Flags

Clashes erupted in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim on Tuesday evening, continuing for several hours after a police and municipality enforcement operation escalated into confrontations with residents. The operation began when officers from the Lev Habira station and Jerusalem riot police, alongside municipal inspectors, entered the neighborhood to remove Palestinian flags and graffiti. During the operation, rioters began throwing stones and objects at the officers. Police responded with crowd dispersal measures, leading to ongoing clashes. As officers were leaving the area, they identified a minor suspected of throwing stones and arrested him. Later, a group of rioters surrounded a police officer. Responding forces dispersed the gathering and arrested two additional suspects, both 16 years old, on suspicion of involvement. All three suspects were taken for further investigation. Police continue to conduct searches and investigations, both overt and covert, in the neighborhood to identify additional suspects involved in attacking officers and disturbing the peace. The confrontations were still ongoing hours after the initial police activity.