A church in Nazareth—built over a spring where the Archangel Gabriel is believed to have appeared to Mary to announce she would give birth to Jesus—was attacked Sunday evening by a group calling themselves the "Soldiers of God."

The group reportedly removed the outer gate of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation while it was closed and rang the bell without permission. Video footage appears to show a Greek Orthodox priest attempting to calm a small crowd, with some individuals striking others using wooden crosses.

Police were called to the scene, and the National Democratic Assembly in Nazareth condemned the group, calling the incident "an attack on Nazareth and its people, an unsuccessful attempt to desecrate the city's national character and its residents, and an attempt to sow discord and promote foreign and unfamiliar agendas within our community."

In a statement, the church said:

"The Orthodox Community Council will not allow the desecration of a holy place, has filed a police complaint, and will follow up on it."

Also known as the Church of Saint Gabriel, the site said the "Soldiers of God" claimed they were protesting the recent Islamic State terrorist attack on a church in Damascus, Syria, which killed at least 20 people last month.