KIEV, Ukraine, April 14 (UPI) -- Police in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, detained eight men Sunday who allegedly smashed a number of windows and beat up the son of the chief rabbi at Ukraine's main synagogue, Russia's NTV television network reported.
Authorities said the incident took place during Saturday's service as a group of about 50 "skinheads" hurled stones at the synagogue windows and attacked chief rabbi Asman's son, police said.
His condition and the extent of his injurers were unknown. Several other worshippers were injured in the attack, police said.
According to witnesses, a well-organized mob smashed virtually every window, and quickly fled the scene.
On Sunday, police described the detainees as "hooligans" recruited from the ranks of local soccer fans, dismissing allegations that the raid was a display of anti-Semitism.
However, rabbi Asman told Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio station in a telephone interview that the attack was carefully planned in advance and bore signs of racial hatred.
"Before they started hurling the stones, they yelled: 'Beat the Jews,'" the rabbi said.
According to Asman, the incident was related to the recent outburst of violence in the Middle East, which has sparked a number of anti-Semitic incidents in several European countries, including Ukraine.
A Kiev police spokesman told reporters Sunday that the detainees were being questioned and there were "good chances" that their testimony would help the police track down the remaining vandals who remain at large.
