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Israel Police arrested five people Wednesday on suspicion of spitting towards Christians or churches in the Old City of Jerusalem, they announced, following an uproar a day earlier over Orthodox Jews spitting at Christian pilgrims.
Four of the suspects were arrested for incidents on Wednesday, and one for an incident earlier in the week, police said. Four are adults and one is a minor.
One of the individuals was arrested on assault charges, and the other four were arrested on suspicion of unlawful disorderly conduct, Israel Police told CNN. The one charged with assault spat on a person, while the others spat towards people, police said to explain the different charges.
One of the arrests is connected to the viral video from Monday of ultra-Orthodox Jews spitting on Christian pilgrims carrying a cross out of the Church of the Flagellation in the Old City, police said.
Father Matteo, a priest in the Old City, told CNN Wednesday there were sometimes 10 incidents of spitting a day near his monastery along the Via Dolorosa, the path that Christians believe Jesus walked to his crucifixion, with people calling it “an impure place.”