Police said Wednesday they were trying to disperse a violent protest in East Jerusalem, where Palestinian protesters sought to block demolition of a house.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says authorities went to the area early
Wednesday to take down a home that was built illegally. The crowd gathered and began pelting police with stones. He says police are trying to break up the crowd with stun grenades.

Since 2004, Israel has leveled more than 300 homes in Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, citing a lack of building permits. However, critics say the permits are virtually impossible to obtain and say the demolitions are part of an Israeli policy to discourage Palestinian population growth in the disputed city.