Anti-Semitic mob storms southern Russia airport

Hundreds of demonstrators rushed an airport on Sunday in the Muslim-majority region of Dagestan in southern Russia. The crowd was reportedly searching for Jews on a flight that had just arrived from Tel Aviv. The mob carried Palestinian flags and banners with anti-Semitic slogans through the Makhachkala airport. The Dagestan Health Ministry said 20 people were injured in the riot, with two in critical condition. Dagestan’s Interior Ministry confirmed 60 people were arrested.

What is Russia doing in response? President Vladimir Putin met with officials on Monday. He called for a security meeting, which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said would discuss “attempts by the West to use the events in the Middle East to divide the [Russian] society.” Peskov said leaders believe the riot was started by “information influence from outside.” The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Russian officials to “protect the safety of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they may be.”

Dig deeper: Read Kim Henderson’s report in WORLD Magazine on Harvard students hosting a pro-Hamas rally.