One person killed in violent anti-police riots at Kafr Qassem

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. June 6, 2017, 8:06 AM (IDT)

Violent anti-police protests which erupted overnight Monday at the central Israeli Arab town of Kafr Qassem led to the death of a demonstrator Ahmed Taha, 27. He was shot dead when stone-throwing rioters attacked the local police department. The trouble erupted after police detained a resident entering the town when he was found to be wanted for questioning. He resisted detention, backed up by 50 supporters, who snatched him from the arresting police. He was recaptured later. A mob of hundreds then gathered outside the municipal building where the police department is located, pelting it with stones and rocks and setting fire to three police patrol vans. A civilian guard opened fire to fend off the attack. The wounded demonstrator was taken to hospital where he died. Police reinforcements then moved in and dispersed the rioters. The Israeli Arab Monitoring Committee has called a general strike of the Israeli Arab sector for Wednesday.

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