Smiled in his direction — and ended up with broken teeth: a teenager was brutally attacked on a bus

A 29-year-old resident of Afula is accused of brutally attacking a 16-year-old teenager during a bus ride in Tiberias, after, according to the police, he threatened him just because he smiled in his direction. As a result of the attack, the teenager's teeth were broken, and he suffered facial injuries and required medical treatment.

The incident occurred on August 4, when the teenager was traveling with his friends on a bus from Haifa towards Tiberias. According to the investigation materials, during the trip, the defendant, whom he did not know, turned to him and threatened:

"If you smile again, I will break your face."

When the bus arrived at the central bus station in Tiberias, the group of teenagers split up, and the teenager boarded another bus with a girl. Before the bus departed from the station, the defendant also boarded and sat a few rows in front of him.

According to the indictment, minutes after the trip began, the defendant threw his mobile phone at the teenager, stood up from his seat, and brutally attacked him. Following the attack, the 16-year-old was taken for medical treatment suffering from broken teeth and various facial injuries.

Even after the attack, it is alleged, the defendant continued to threaten the teenager, telling him:

"From now on, if you don't show me respect, I will break your face."

Following the report, the police opened an investigation, during which the suspect, a 29-year-old resident of Afula, was arrested. At the end of the investigation, the police prosecution unit filed an indictment against him and a request for detention until the end of proceedings at the Magistrate's Court in Nof HaGalil-Nazareth.