A video circulating on social media shows an Israeli police officer kicking a protester in the head and another officer tearing clothing from protesters during an operation to clear a Haredi protest blocking Highway 4 on Wednesday. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he will hold a discussion on police use of stun grenades, according to Israeli media reports.
A video published Wednesday during a Haredi protest against arrests of military draft evaders shows a police officer kicking a protester in the head as officers cleared the blockage of Highway 4. The footage, shared by journalist Chaim Cohen, also captures an officer tearing a protester's trousers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated he will convene a discussion regarding the police's use of stun grenades, following earlier reports of their use during similar demonstrations.
The incident is the latest in a series of clashes between police and Haredi protesters this week. As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday, separate footage from journalist Eli Hirshman showed officers kicking and dragging a protester along the road during the same operation. Ben Gvir had also previously warned police about a potential shift in policy on stun grenades following confrontations in Bnei Brak.
The new video adds to a growing body of documentation of police tactics during the protest wave. The claims of excessive force have not been independently verified, and no new official police response has been issued since earlier statements by senior sources who defended the use of force as proportionate.
4 developments
- StrongVideo shows police clashing with Haredi protesters in Abu Kabir; one arrested
- DevelopingEight lightly wounded as police break up protest on Highway 4 near Bnei Brak
- DevelopingTel Aviv district police chief suspends officer who kicked protester
- StrongProtesters claim police used stun grenades and batons; Eli Hirshman reports undercover arrests
Source and signal
- Internal intake