On the night of Jerusalem Day, a police officer beat a 14-year-old boy with a baton for no reason, without prior warning, and without any patrol action being taken against the boy.
As a result of the beating, the boy's head 'opened', he began to bleed and needed medical treatment.
Attorney El-Adi Wiezl Mhonenu, who represents the boy, sent a letter to the Police Investigations Department requesting that the police officer who struck him be investigated. He also sent a request to the Police Commissioner to fire the officer.
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The letter described that on the night of Jerusalem Day, the boy participated in a 'gate parade' held around the gates of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. "At approximately 11:30 p.m., without any prior warning, the policeman rushed towards the minor with a drawn baton in his hand - and without any prior discussion or discussion, he inflicted two powerful blows on the minor's head.".
The lawyer noted that this was a prohibited, irreligious, and unreasonable use of force: "There is no legal justification for a situation in which a 14-year-old child, who poses no threat to the police officer, would receive these blows to the head from him. Talks about sending in the force should be preceded, especially when it comes to a beating, especially when it comes to a son of a son, especially when it comes to a severe beating carried out with an iron baton. Even more so when the object of the beating is a minor of small stature, who, even if force had to be used against him, would have had no reason to use such an extreme measure.".
The force of these blows caused the boy's head to split open and blood flowed down his body and clothes. After committing the shocking violence, the policeman left the scene without taking any disciplinary action against the boy. "Just like that, suddenly he attacked and suddenly he left," the lawyer described. "Beating the minor and leaving him bleeding without taking any disciplinary action in his case indicates that there was no legal basis for taking action against him, and shows that the policeman's brutal actions constitute an unlawful use of force whose sole purpose was to vent anger and instill fear, and not any legal purpose.".
As a result of the violence inflicted on him, the boy was taken to the emergency room at Shaare Zedek Hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was diagnosed with a head injury and required six stitches to close the large cut on his head. "It is permissible to note the sensitivity and danger of head injuries, and that these blows aimed at the minor's head and whose force resulted in his head being opened could, God forbid, easily have caused even more serious damage," noted Attorney Wiesel.
Attorney Wiesel asked the Police Chief to immediately collect the security cameras and the police officers' body cameras, and to interrogate the attacking police officer. In addition, he asked the Police Commissioner to order the immediate dismissal of the attacking police officer or at least suspend him until he is brought to justice: "A police officer who allows himself to attack a minor, even a 14-year-old, in such a serious and shocking manner is not suitable to serve on behalf of the State of Israel in a position that confers power and authority.".
