Druze Protest on Highway 6 Over Alleged Jaffa Club Attack

Dozens of Druze protesters blocked Highway 6 in central Israel for about an hour on Sunday evening, burning tires and causing significant traffic disruptions. Police forces worked to disperse the protest and reopen the road, which was eventually cleared about an hour after it began. During the dispersal, police reported that several youths were seen assaulting a young man lying on the ground, who was then taken for medical treatment with minor injuries. Two suspects were arrested for the assault, and two others for disturbing the public order.

The protest is believed to be linked to an alleged attack on several Druze youths from Usfiya at a club in Jaffa the previous weekend. According to police investigations, an argument at the club escalated into a brawl in the parking lot, during which an 18-year-old was moderately wounded by a stabbing. Three suspects, aged 18-19, were arrested in connection with the incident, and two knives believed to have been used were seized. Police stated that the investigation into the Jaffa incident did not reveal a racist motive.

During a remand hearing for the Jaffa incident suspects, it was revealed that some of the arrested individuals were also injured. Police acknowledged uncertainty about whether one of the seized knives was used in the stabbing. One suspect was released to house arrest, while two others had their detention extended. The court noted that the evidence established reasonable suspicion against two of the suspects.

Separately, earlier this month, a 15-year-old girl was detained on suspicion of assaulting a 24-year-old Druze woman on a bus in Tel Aviv two months prior, following a phone conversation in Arabic. The suspect was allegedly part of a group that hurled insults and socks at the woman, using racist slurs.