Yair Itanger, the ultra-Orthodox correspondent for Haaretz newspaper, was arrested this morning (Monday) during a barricade by activists at the Tomb of David complex, in protest of a Christian event being held there.
Ettinger, 43, married with two daughters, one of the most respected reporters at the newspaper and in the field he covers, was arrested on charges of assaulting police officers and obstructing them in the performance of their duties. Despite all attempts to explain to them that he was a journalist, he was detained and taken, with violence, to the police station.
After a short time, he was released from custody. The activists who had barricaded themselves in the tomb compound were forcibly evacuated, and the Christian event proceeded as planned.
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In the police WhatsApp group of the national headquarters, reporters slammed Bikoner for the police's conduct against the journalists.
This is not the first time that a journalist covering the Haredi community has been arrested during a demonstration. About a year and a half ago, Yair Sharki, then a Galts journalist and now a reporter for News 2, was attacked by Yasm police officers. Several months ago, it was decided to close the case against the police officers who attacked him - "due to lack of guilt.".
