Tuba Zangaria youths set local municipal buildings alight

No injuries reported; local youths burn regional council building, village clinic in response to "price-tag" arson at mosque.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF
price tag 311 (photo credit: Tovah Lazaroff)
price tag 311
(photo credit: Tovah Lazaroff)
Dozens of youths from the village of Tuba Zangaria in northern Israel on Tuesday set alight the regional council building, village local community center and health clinic in the village.
Police reported very heavy damages at the Tuba Regional Council after a night of rioting by village youths.
RELATED:Analysis: September and the settler factorPalestinians report further 'price tag' attack in W. BankThe arson was in response to a so-called price-tag attack the day before at a local mosque.According to Israel Radio, the youths tried to block the intersection leading into the village. They reportedly threw stones at police who arrived at the scene, and officers responded by firing tear gas to disperse the activists.
No injuries were reported.
A mosque was set alight in the village of Tuba Zangaria near Rosh Pina overnight Sunday in an apparent "Price Tag" attack.
Northern District Police Commander Major-General Roni Attia was joined by police forces at the scene.
Residents of the village said that the words "Price Tag" and "Revenge" were sprayed in the area.
Police opened an investigation into the incident.
The attack comes amid a recent wave of similar attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch responded Monday with outrage to the incident, calling it a "criminal and despicable attack on a holy place."
"I've spoken with Police Insp.-Gen. [Yohanan Danino] about the incident and received updates about police responses to the incident and the police's determination to bring the perpetrators to justice," he added.
Last month, police announced the formation of a special task force to track down and arrest far-right extremists who were behind price tag incidents in the West Bank.
"These acts are so dangerous, and harmful on a national level. They can result in an escalation, and this is the last thing the country needs," Danino said in September.
Since the demolition of three homes in the Migron settlement on September 5, two mosques in the West Bank in the towns of Yatma and Quasara were vandalized with the same graffiti. Additionally, price-tag vandals infiltrated an army base next to the Beit-El settlement and damaged 13 vehicles.
Two weeks ago, a left-wing activist in Jerusalem was the recipient of one such attack, after right-wing demonstrators spray-painted “Price Tag Migron” on the entrance to her building in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem.
The activist, who asked not to be named, works as the head of the Settlement Watch Team for Peace Now.
“They know where we live and they’re trying to frighten us,” she said. “We don’t need to be frightened, we need to take it seriously and be careful, but not be afraid.”
The vandals also wrote “Peace Now, the end is near,” “Revenge,” “Migron Forever” and “Death to traitors” up the stairwell of the building. The graffiti was cleaned after police investigated the scene.
“There are other peace activists and other army commanders who got the same graffiti, so I’m in good company,” she joked on Tuesday.
Melanie Lidman contributed to this report.