Video on social media showed the modern-day lynch mob flooding into the airport, located in the city of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan which has a very large Muslim population.
Hundreds of rioters with Palestinian flags shouted “Allahu Akbar” as they searched for Israeli passengers and even began stopping vehicles to ask drivers if they were transporting Jewish tourists.
Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia reported that the airport was closed after the rioters ran onto the runways and that all inbound aircraft were forced to be diverted.
Amichai Stern, a reporter for the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation said that some Jews and Israelis were "isolated" in the airport during the riot.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters, "The State of Israel views gravely attempts to harm Israelis [sic] citizens and Jews anywhere. Israel expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to safeguard all Israeli citizens and Jews, whoever they may be, and to take robust action against the rioters and against the unbridled incitement being directed at Jews and Israelis."
RT, Russia’s state-run outlet, reported the previous day that Muslims stormed a hotel in the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt to attack “Jewish refugees” who were rumored to be staying there.
At least 60 people were reportedly arrested after riot police responded.
Despite the videos of the violence, The Associated Press, in its reporting on the riots, referred to the Jew-haters storming the airport as a “protest” in an article distributed to its wire services.
