Cops arrest woman claiming to be Israeli for disrupting protest

PETALING JAYA: Police have detained a woman claiming to be an Israeli after she allegedly disrupted a pro-Palestine protest outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur today.

Dang Wangi police chief Sazalee Adam said the foreign national would be remanded tomorrow, New Straits Times reported.

Sazalee said the woman also claimed to be a British citizen, despite identifying herself as Israeli in a video of the incident that has since gone viral on social media.

He said police have yet to verify her identity as she was not carrying any identification document when detained.

The incident went viral after citizen-led movement Malaysian Protest 4 Palestine (MP4P) shared a video on Instagram showing a heated exchange between the woman and protesters.

In accompanying social media posts, the group questioned how the woman came to be at the protest and called on the authorities to clarify her identity and immigration status.

The incident also sparked online criticism, with some users questioning the police response and alleging that officers focussed on the protesters rather than the woman.

Police have not disclosed the offences being investigated or whether immigration authorities are involved in the probe.