World / riots Riots in N. Israeli City Mar Yom Kippur Jews set upon Arab for driving his car, igniting violence By Jason Farago, Newser Staff Posted Oct 9, 2008 4:16 PM CDT Copied Cars are seen with broken windows following clashes between Israeli Arab and Jewish residents of the mixed city of Acre, Israel, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. (AP Photo / Jalaa Marey,Jini) The Israeli city of Acre descended into rioting today after a group of Jewish youths attacked an Arab man who was driving on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. The young men allegedly shouted anti-Muslim epithets at the driver before several younger Arabs came to his defense. As news spread of the altercation, Jewish and Arab gangs took to the streets and destroyed dozens of cars and shops, Haaretz reports. Yom Kippur is the most solemn holiday of the Jewish calendar, when the faithful ask for forgiveness for sins committed in the previous year. Police used water hoses and mounted officers to attempt to disperse the crowds. They arrested several rioters and continued to clamp down on the city. "We will deal with all the rioters and those who take the law into their own hands with an iron fist," said Acre's chief of police. (More riots stories.) Report an error