JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A Charedi was allegedly brutally attacked and beaten by police officers, then arrested and jailed, during Wednesday’s violent hafgana in Geulah and Mea Shearim against cell phone stores. It appears the man did not even participate in the protest, rather he was an innocent bystander who happened to work in the area.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Chaim Mizrachi, a bachur who works in a nearby store, described in an interview the abuse that he allegedly suffered during Wednesday’s protests, completely unprovoked. He said that the officers commented, “Look, we caught another dog.”
According to Israeli media reports, videos from the scene show Mr. Mizrahi innocently approached a police vehicle and told the officers that they had hit another car. One of the officers, who were on their way to help control the protests, got out of the vehicle, hit him in the face and apprehended him.
In an interview on Kan news, the victim said, “I stepped out [of the store] for a break and I noticed the police car had scratched another car. Then they started beating me with their fists, pounding me in deadly fashion, then they handcuffed me and put me in their car. They kept pounding me, and I still have headaches as a result. It was abuse, plain and simple.”
He added, “They cuffed my hands and chained my feet as well. They placed me in a jail cell, I kept asking to go to the bathroom, I begged them to let me out.
“They interrogated me and accused me of being part of the protest. They refused to let me speak with a lawyer. They said to me, ‘You are not going free too soon, you’ve made the mistake of your life.’”
On Thursday morning Mr Mizrachi was brought to court. The judge ordered him released, and she spoke harshly against the police: “This was unnecessary violence, without any logic or reason, and must be condemned. Moreover, it is not clear how after these videos were presented to a police officer, they did not immediately release the suspect, apologize, and transfer the case directly to the Dept. of Police Investigations.”
The judge said at the hearing that she had watched the videos of the assault and that “she could not believe what she saw.”
According to Mr. Mizrahi, the judge told police representatives that she intended to file a complaint against the police herself. “She was shocked by the videos,” he added.
The Department of Police Investigations has opened an investigation.
In response to the allegations, the police put out a statement: “Yesterday there was a violent disturbance in Jerusalem against cellular phone stores, after threats were made against them which violate the law. Dozens of protesters violated the law and public order, damaged a cell phone store at that location and blocking a traffic lane.
“Since then we have seen reports and evidence that do not reflect the prolonged violence that took place. Any claims or complaints against the police who were trying to secure law and order will be investigated by officials in charge of these matters. We will continue to allow protests that comply with the law, however we will not allow disorderly conduct and violence that breaks the law.”
B”H this was caught on video. I understand it’s been going on for years. I was told when I was in yeshiva in E”Y to never go near a protest or stand around watching it because the police arrive suddenly and viciously attack Haredi people at random. (I heard the mounted horse units are the worst, like Cossacks.) Now that there is a video and a judge involved, perhaps there is the tiniest chance that some real change may be made in how Haredim are treated by police.
An innocent worker beaten because he looks religious . somehow this will be labeled as a yerushalmi extremest or from the peleg .but this guy is a working person not an ultra, and he was beaten and treated terribly just because he is frum in a jewish state how often do we hear of a nonjewish police officer in america do that to a jew if he would imagine the uproar from the media about antisemitism nebach out own brothers act worse than the biggest antisemites ( unless they once again put russian police to do the job for them) lets ask hashem for peace to reign in yerushalayim
No just sick corrupt cops trying to hide that they damaged a car.
Israeli Police are going to face a new reality due to cameras in everyone’s pockets.
Shock!! Really?? No!! They constantly do this to anyone who looks religious as they hate us , it says in the gemoroh godol sinas ahm haaretz letalmud chacham then a goy to a yid….no news here’s
“however we will not allow disorderly conduct and violence that breaks the law.” unless is us breaking the law in which case we will beat you to a pulp if you said you saw anything.
This is nothing new, and has been going on for decades. For example, in Jerusalem, on Shabbos, the Israeli cops raided the Toldos Aharon Shul, in 1981. They broke down the doors, and beat old men, and boys, breaking bones, and destroying siddurim, and defacing the Shul.They hauled many frum Jews off to jail, because they were annoyed at protests in the area, against desecration of Shabbos. Unfortunately, the Israeli police always state that “they will investigate”, but the culture of brutality which exists to this date in the Israeli police force against religious Jews, does not change. There is an ingrained hatred, which permeates the entire force, and which seems to get worse, every year.
What do u expect from the Zionist government!
Yemach shmom vezichrom
What a Zionist paradise. The “Jewish” State. “Defender” of Jews. All lies. Of course.
Now with the new lefty, liberal, anti religious government in power, the anti frum police feel empowered and are more emboldened to act with impunity.
Nazi?