Israeli forces attack school children

MAAN NEWS AGENCY
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Israeli forces beat schoolchildren demonstrating in Jerusalem;
use excessive violence against 10-year-olds

Date: 09 / 11 / 2006 Time: 15:50

Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli forces have forcefully dispersed a school students' march in occupied Jerusalem. The march started from several schools in the city, and converged in the city centre, in condemnation of the massacres in Beit Hanoun and al-Yamun.

Ma'an's correspondent in Jerusalem reported that, when the march reached the Israeli police station at the entrance of Salah El-Din Street, the school children stopped and started to chant slogans, before a large force of Israeli police and Israeli border guards attacked the participants in the march, assaulting them with beatings, and launching tear gas canisters into the crowd.

Our reporter added that more than 25 female and male school students were beaten, amongst them 8 female students, who were fiercely beaten, causing one of them to lose consciousness. It is alleged that one of the policemen continued to beat her while she was unconscious, while a ten-year old student was assaulted before being arrested.

10 male and 8 female pupils were arrested and taken to Al-Maskobieh police center (Russian compund) in west Jerusalem.

Confrontations also took place between youths and Israeli forces in Jerusalem's old city, during which five youngsters were arrested.

Ma'an's correspondent reported that, amongst the injured is one press photographer, Mahfouz Abu-Turk who was beaten across his face by members of the Israeli police and Israeli border guards, while he was photographing them assaulting the school children.