Warning: Police officers who 'dismantled' extremists in Beit Shemesh with batons were questioned by the police

September 26, 2024   

Two police officers who were recorded beating extremists during a demonstration last Monday in Beit Shemesh were questioned today (Thursday) by the Investigations Branch of the Police Investigations Department. The two were suspected of unlawfully assaulting protesters. A statement from the Police Investigations Department said: "We would like to inform you that investigators from the Investigations Branch of the Police Investigations Department today questioned two police officers under caution on suspicion of unlawfully assaulting protesters during a demonstration that took place last Monday in Beit Shemesh. The investigation is still ongoing." During the demonstration in front of the 'Job Fair' at the 'Dorot' municipal community center in the Ramat Beit Shemesh D neighborhood of the city, police were filmed beating ultra-Orthodox protesters with batons. In the harsh footage from the demonstration, the police are seen standing in front of the protesters and waiting for the order to start dispersing them. In the footage, the police can be heard checking to see if "there is permission" and after receiving a positive answer, they use batons in a particularly violent manner. The extremists demonstrated against the job fair, claiming that the event was not to their liking. That evening, a response was issued by the police, which disapproved of the police's conduct at the event - and announced that the police would be removed from operational activity until they consider the measures to be taken in their case. The police statement said: "An initial viewing of the videos indicates that the conduct of the police at the event is not in line with what is expected of them as police officers and with the values ​​of the Israel Police. Accordingly, and at this stage, the police officers and commanders involved will be removed from operational activity, until administrative measures are considered in their case." There is approval pic.twitter.com/rE0J6CPkDa

— Yinon Magal (@YinonMagal) September 23, 2024

It was actually Haredi residents of the neighborhood who supported the police's conduct. Journalist Yaki Adamker from the 'Walla' and 'Kol Berama' websites, a resident of the neighborhood, tweeted: "I don't justify police violence, but it must be said: This is a group of crazy extremists who came from outside the neighborhood to demonstrate in front of a job fair. This was not a peaceful protest. They broke doors, spat on women and shouted statements like 'Death to the IDF.'" According to him, "If the police hadn't acted to forcefully evict them, it would have ended in a very serious incident." Shai Glick, CEO of 'Tselmo', also supported the police's conduct: "As an Haredi and a resident of the area, I support the Israel Police in the fight against the extremist terrorizers. Tonight, an employment event was supposed to take place there for men and women (separately, of course) who simply want to provide for their families with dignity. "Those fanatics did not come to the place with the aim of demonstrating in a dignified manner from across the street, but to blow up the event and prevent people from finding work. This is called terrorism. Instilling terror in people. "The Israel Police, you can clearly see, were unable to evacuate them and only after beating them did they move. The goal was not to beat them but to move them so that every Haredi man and woman could earn a decent living. Those handful of fanatics have been terrorizing the residents of Beit Shemesh for a long time and they need to be dealt with." Other Haredi residents expressed a similar position.