Right-Wing Activists Questioned by Police After Lod Brawl

Two right-wing activists, Mordechai David and Ziv Barans, were questioned under caution by Lod police on Monday following their involvement in a brawl that erupted in the city the previous day. The activists were part of a group participating in what was described as a "sovereignty tour" in Lod. Police are investigating them for alleged improper conduct in a public place. Both were released after their interrogation under restrictive conditions, including a 15-day ban from Lod.

The clashes occurred during the "sovereignty tour" event, which saw right-wing activists, including David, who previously campaigned for Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, arrive in Lod. The event escalated into confrontations and a physical altercation. Following the riots, police arrested 11 individuals, both Jewish and Arab, on suspicion of disturbing public order and disobeying police instructions. These detainees were released within hours.

Police announced on Monday that two additional participants were summoned for questioning due to their active role in the protest prior to the brawl. David and Barans were interrogated under caution, and upon completion, the decision was made to release them with the aforementioned restrictions. The police reportedly emphasized the seriousness of the incident to David, noting that the confrontations could have escalated significantly, referencing a warning by Lod Mayor Yair Rabivo about the potential for Jewish-Arab riots. Despite these concerns, all 11 individuals arrested on Sunday were released, as were the two activists questioned on Monday, subject to the imposed travel ban.