Brutal police officers to stand trial for assault

Since the July 2015 arson attack on the Dawabshe family’s house in Kfar Duma, Honenu has assisted many Jews accused of involvement with the crime. For a selection of posts describing Honenu Attorneys’ representation of Amiram Ben Uliel, click here, and for a selection of posts about other defendants and GSS interrogees, click here. To familiarize our readers with the case, Honenu has gathered – click here – various articles and short videos on the subject.

Monday, November 11, 2024, 13:49 The Police Investigative Unit will indict border police officers for assaulting two Jewish youths approximately two years ago. This legal action is the result of a long battle fought by Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel. The offending officers unjustifiably beat the youths while dispersing protesters at a demonstration demanding justice for Amiram Ben Uliel, who was convicted in the Kfar Duma case. After the protest, Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel wrote a letter to the PIU on behalf of the youths. Recently, the PIU informed Attorney Weisel that the offending officers will stand trial in criminal court for assault.

Brutal police officers at Justice for Amiram! protest; Video credit: Ori Shilo

In his letter to the PIU, Attorney Weisel described how the youths were brutally attacked, even though they had not resisted the officers’ demand to leave the site: “In the video clip documenting the incident, the officers are seen walking on the sidewalk with batons drawn. They intimidate and beat every youth who crosses their path and has a national-religious appearance. At the beginning of the video, the officers are seen walking, holding their batons, and approaching the youths as they sit, waiting at a bus stop. The officers shout at them, ‘Get up, go home!’ and chase the terrified youths from the site. Although the youths follow orders and begin to leave the scene, one of the officers beats one of them as he turns his back to run from the bus stop.

“As one can see in the video, even though the youths were fleeing, the officers ran after them, and also beat every youth who who crossed their path and looked like a potential protester. The officers encountered complainant A, and without any preliminary discussion immediately beat him four times. When a man approached an officer and politely asked for his name, the officer beat him in the leg with a baton, grabbed him by the neck, and shoved the baton into his chest. The officer continued to beat the man after he turned his back and tried to escape.”

Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel stated, “We welcome the decision by the PIU to indict the brutal police officers. The need for indictment is regrettable, but a clear message must be sent: Police officers are not authorized to do whatever they please. There is no place for thuggery in law enforcement.”

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