Nine Yeshiva students were fined 150 pounds ($50) each today for participation in the disturbances which led last January 3 to damage of the Finnish Christian mission in Jerusalem. The yeshiva students were protesting Christian missionary activities in Israel. A tenth student, charged with organizing the demonstrations, was fined 300 pounds ($100).
The defendants initially pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, criminal trespassing and damage to property. They reversed their pleas when police dropped those charges, with the consent of the plaintiff. They were convicted only on the charge of disturbances.
The magistrate accepted the defense contention that the defendants were motivated by “spiritual intentions” to demonstrate against Christian missionary activities but that they had not intended to create a breach of the peace.
The defense attorney told the court that the defendants were among some 150 demonstrators who entered the mission courtyard and broke windows and assaulted the director. The attorney said the demonstrators had been”outraged” by the fact that the mission Chanukah party, a menorah and a Christmas tree had been featured side by side.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
