AFP and OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Sunday
ABOUT 200 Muslims in Cape Town attacked a McDonalds fast food store on the weekend after a rally where US and Israeli flags were burned to protest the violence in the Middle East.
”About 200 demonstrators marched to McDonalds and they damaged about 10 vehicles parked outside and they damaged the foyer section like the glass doors by throwing stones and using force,” said police representative Andre Traut on Saturday.
One worker at the US-based franchise was hit in the eye by broken glass, he added.
The violence started after a rally in support of Palestine by about 1000 Muslims in the city’s Green Point Stadium.
Demonstrators burnt US and Israeli flags and signed up to fight for the Palestinians.
One speaker at the rally rejected the summit called for Monday in Egypt on the crisis. ”I think the emergency summit is also a hoax,” said Anwar Nagia.
Anti-Jewish sentiment was high, with one placard reading ”Viva Hitler,” and speakers called for oppressed nations to fight the West.
”The time has come to declare war on Israel,” said Abidah Roberts, national secretary of the Muslim-led group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, which authorities blame for a spate of bombings and terror attacks in Cape Town.
Speakers at the rally called on the South African government to sever ties with Israel.
A special mass prayer service was held for the more than 100 people, mostly Palestinians, who have been killed in the Middle East since the violence flared late September.
The crowd dispersed after the attack on the restaurant. Police made no arrests.
On Friday in Pretoria more than 1 000 Muslims marched to the US and Israeli embassies to protest the Middle East crisis.
Two policemen were stabbed in brief clashes during the march and police used water cannons to control the unruly crowd. A Muslim protestor suffered a heart attack and died.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah guerrillas claimed on the weekend to have captured an Israeli army colonel.
Last week, Hezbollah captured three Israeli soldiers along Lebanon’s volatile border with Israel and declared it wanted to swap them for dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Arab prisoners held in Israel.