Seven teenagers and young adults who were protesting the harassment of girls in Hevron were arrested Saturday night. The group was protesting the harassment of Jewish girls by Arabs near the Machpelah Cave.
In a statement, the Hevron Jewish Community said that the youths had asked Border Police guards stationed at the site why those responsible for the harassment, whose identities are known, were not arrested. Instead, the guards began arresting the youths, and even threw tear gas grenades at them. Witnesses said that there had been no violence, physical or verbal, on the part of the youths, and that there had been no reason to arrest them or attack them with tear gas. Apparently, witnesses said, the guards simply got insulted when they were questioned about why they were not doing their job of protecting Jewish girls at the site.