Actor in Israel's Oscar-nominated film Ajami arrested

Tony Copti, a supporting actor in the Oscar-nominated Israeli film Ajami and brother of Ajami co-director Scandar Copti, was arrested Saturday evening along with another brother for allegedly assaulting police officers during a brawl in Jaffa, and released several hours later.

On Saturday evening, police on patrol in the predominantly Arab Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa, where the plot of the film takes place, saw several teenagers burying something in the ground.

The police suspected that they were hiding drugs, but, according to Copti and other witnesses, the teens were burying a dog.

The arguments between police and neighborhood residents escalated into a brawl during which Copti and another brother were arrested. The two were transferred to a police station for further questioning.

Ajami was tapped as one of five candidates for best foreign language films. The Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 7 in Los Angeles.