Rabbi Meir Kahane, national chairman of the Jewish Defense League and at least 37 of his youthful followers were arrested today in a series of scuffles with police in front of the Soviet Embassy. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reporter’s eye-witness account, many of the police had removed their badges and name identification plates. About 16 unbadged police beat up Larry Fine, the JDL’s executive director, when he cursed a police officer for putting a wrestler’s hold on a youth aged about 14. Fine was handcuffed at the time. He was seen bleeding from the head, according to the JTA account. Rabbi Kahane and 11 of his followers-were arrested Friday for gathering closer than 500 feet from the Soviet Embassy.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.