Several Jews carrying their lulav and etrog were caught on tape spitting on Christian worshippers. Courtesy of Israeli police

This article originally appeared on Haaretz, and was reprinted here with permission. Sign up here to get Haaretz’s free Daily Brief newsletter delivered to your inbox.

Israeli police arrested five people, including one minor, on Wednesday on suspicion of spitting at Christians and churches in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem’s police chief established a special investigation to look into the spitting phenomenon and hate crimes against Christians in the Old City. It will use surveillance technology to identify suspects and either impose fines or, in more extreme cases, open a criminal investigation on suspicion of crime of religious offense.

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According to the police, one suspect was arrested for an incident that took place earlier this week, and the other four were caught at the time of the act Wednesday morning. This incident included one suspect spitting at an employee by the entrance to a church.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, MK Simcha Rothman’s brother, Rabbi Nathan Rothman, led the march during which a suspect was arrested for spitting at a Christian. Simcha Rothman is one of the chief architects of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial coup.

The suspects are being investigated.

Jerusalem District chief Doron Turgeman condemned the incidents and said that the special investigative team will use overt and covert measures to locate the spiters in real time and retroactively.

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