Honenu is representing those who are insisting on the investigation of the death of Ahuvia Sandak z”l who was tragically killed in a police car chase and defending the many who are being detained while demonstrating for change in police behavior. The car Ahuvia was in with four other boys overturned when the police car collided with it from behind. Please click here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 10:34 In a compromise agreement, the police will pay 17,000 NIS in compensation to a youth who was punched by a policeman during a protest after the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l. Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado filed a suit on behalf of the youth and his family. See here for more details.
The fist punch; Video credit: Yedidya Grossman
The incident occurred in February, during a demonstration opposite the home of Internal Security Minister Amir Ohana demanding an external investigative committee to examine the circumstances of the death of Sandak. A video clip recorded at the demonstration shows a Yassam policeman punching a minor, then 16-years-old, in the face with enough force for him to be thrown backwards. There were no grounds for the assault.
Below are excerpts from the statement of claim:
“The grounds for the suit as detailed in the statement of claim are assault, negligence, the injustice of breach of statutory duty and violently depriving the complainant of his freedom of protest.”
“The complainant was caused a great injury. He suffered from dizziness, numerous pains, and distress from the violent conduct against him. The incident was documented in a video clip which corroborates the [written] account of the incident. A Yassam policeman is seen in the video clip aggressively and brutally assaulting the complainant.”
Yado mentioned the complainant’s previous head injury: “Approximately half a year before the assault, the minor was the victim of a terror attack during which a large rock was thrown at his head. As a result of the attack, the complainant was hospitalized with a serious head injury and classified fatally injured. However, miraculously the complainant survived the attack. Due to the cranial injury the complainant had cranial plates implanted, which fortunately were not hit when he was punched in the head and considerably more damage was not caused.”
The suit claimed that the Israeli Police bore imputed and direct liability because “they had not adequately trained the policemen, including the defendant, and had not cautioned them not to unnecessarily attack [protesters] and did not clarify with the policemen the importance of the right to protest, with all of its ramifications concerning restraint on the part of police law enforcement.”
Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado, who represented the youth: “The justice of the lawsuit, which was resolved without the State of Israel filing a statement of defense, is undeniable. We hope that as a consequence of this case, the police will show protesters more tolerance.”