A young Haredi man was injured yesterday (Tuesday) during a violent arrest at the Flag Dance in Jerusalem. Those present filmed the moments of the arrest, but the police refused to accept them as evidence "due to overload.".
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The young man required medical treatment but was left in custody. Today, Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Elad Lang decided to extend his detention.
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According to the hearing minutes, the young man was arrested after police officers asked him to leave the flag dance venue and he refused. The young man had his back to the fence, and during the violent arrest he injured his eye and required stitches and taping.
His lawyer, Nati Rom, who is assisting him on behalf of the Honenu organization, described that when those present who witnessed the aggressive arrest - and even filmed it - asked to testify at the police station, they were directed to another station. At the second station, they were told that there was a load, and they could not accept them.
Even though the man has no criminal record and this is his first arrest, and even though the police did not see the video recording of the arrest due to the workload, Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Elad Lang decided to extend his arrest until tomorrow afternoon.
Attorney Nati Rom described the arrest: "This is a shameful incident in which the Israel Police unlawfully ordered a citizen to leave the scene while using severe violence by force of police officers. They shouted at him to leave and immediately attacked him without any justification. I sincerely hope that this will be referred to the police, he needed medical treatment. His only crime was that he clung to the fence.".
Attorney Rom added: "The police are adding insult to injury. A witness asks to give testimony, arrives at the station, and they don't accept him. He calls the 'Oz' station, and they tell him that they have 40 detainees and they can't accept his testimony.".
He said the young man was illegally attacked and removed from a place where he was allowed to be as part of the flag dance. "This incident is a mental and physical scar, he is being arrested for the first time. This is a punitive attempt. The attacking police officers are the ones who should be held accountable.".
Meir Indor, one of the founders of the original Flag Parade, a member of the Am Kalavi association and chairman of the Almagor organization, witnessed the event: "I saw that there was a group waiting for the Nablus Gate to open, but the police asked them to continue towards the Jaffa Gate. I tried to mediate between them and the police, and indeed most of the group advanced to the Jaffa Gate.
""There were a few left who started arguing with the police, and the Hispanics began to rush the group using force and force. I asked an officer who was there to be gentle with the guys, some of them teenagers, so as not to create a bad image for the police, but it was like talking to a wall. The Hispanics pushed harder, and on the edge of the group, the guy was injured.".
""The policeman grabbed him by the back and lifted his arms back, so the guy had to bend over so his arms wouldn't break, and then his head hit the policeman's helmet.".
According to Indore, the guy didn't seem to be part of the group at all.
No response has yet been received from the police.
