Assault victim detained in Old City Jerusalem

Sunday, June 11, 2017, 13:16 While riding a bicycle near his home on the morning of Sunday, June 11, a hareidi resident of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem in his mid 30s was assaulted by a group of Christians walking in a religious procession at the site. To his astonishment, the police detained him and released his assailants.
The Christians claim that when they passed the resident he spat on the ground, which injured their feelings, and a few of the participants in the procession reacted by assaulting him. Only after passers-by defended the bleeding resident and rescued him from his assailants did the violence stop.
Policemen who arrived on the scene detained the injured resident and allowed his assailants to walk free. The resident was taken to the Merchav David (Old City) Police Station while still bleeding from his head and mouth.
Honenu Attorney Rehavia Piltz arrived at the police station to assist the detainee and strongly criticized the police for the detention: “Again we are witness to the powerlessness of the police with regards to the personal security of the Jewish residents of the Old City of Jerusalem. It cannot be that in every incident in which a Jew and a non-Jew are involved, the Israeli Police places the blame on the Jew and considers him guilty.”
Piltz continued, “This policy of the police severely damages the personal security of Jews in the Old City and assists violent criminals in walking free and evading penalty for their acts. During interrogation my client protested the discrimination and the abandonment of his safety. He also filed a complaint against his assailants. We will not be silent about this injustice and we will demand answers on the subject from those responsible for law enforcement in this area.”
If the resident is not released soon Honenu intends to make an urgent request from the court on the matter.