Violence mars start of Jerusalem Day marches

Violence has flared at the start of the annual Jerusalem Day flag march.

Footage posted on social media showed hundreds of young males, draped with Israeli flags rampaging through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter chanting “Death To Arabs.”

Reports from Israel said the gangs violently attacked Palestinians, journalists and activists.

Some of the march participants also entered Palestinian shops, before police later asked Palestinian shopkeepers to close their shops to protect them.

The Haaretz journalist Nir Hasson was among those attacked, with the reporter knocked to the ground and kicked. Border Police officers eventually intervened.

More than 3,000 police officers, soldiers and volunteers were on standby for the Jerusalem Day events as the participants marched through the Old City and held a rally at the Western Wall Plaza.

On Wednesday morning, some Jewish worshippers entered the Temple Mount/Al Aqsa compound, including Israeli minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and MK Yitzhak Kreuzer of the Otzma Yehudit party.