(Warning: This story describes deeply disturbing events and testimonials in graphic detail.)
An attempted arrest of scooter riders who were riding without a helmet on Herzl Street in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening turned into a confrontation between the police officer and one of the riders - Ron Levit, 29 years old from Jaffa - who claimed to be post-traumatic after surviving the Nova festival massacre.
In the footage obtained by Walla, Levit was seen shouting at the policeman: "I was in Nova, my friends were murdered."
"We were riding a scooter, both of us without a helmet, and the policeman asked us to stop. I came to get off the bike path towards the sidewalk, and he thought we were going to run away or run him over, as he said," Levit said in a conversation with Walla and shared: "When I was attacked, like how he attacked me, I get all the post-trauma, it's not the first time."
Levit continued: "He asked me to identify myself; I told him that I lost all my things at the Nova festival. I told him to write down my number, but he insisted. I started to leave; I didn't understand what he wanted. I told him that I didn't want to run away or anything. He strangled me and beat me."
"In Nova, I ran away for five hours while they were shooting at me - since then, I haven't really recovered," Levit shared with Walla, "During the incident, I wanted to show the policeman the psychiatrist's documents. Even if I committed a traffic violation, there's no reason for him to treat me like that. I've been to many demonstrations in my life…but this time it's different - there's no reason for the policeman to act like that. He behaved in a scary, inhuman way. If he's acting like that, he shouldn't be a policeman," Levit added.
In the footage, Levit was seen being pushed by the policeman who tries to handcuff him and demands: "Give me your hands." Levit replies: "For what?" followed by the policeman telling him that he refuses to be arrested. The argument at this point became heated, with Levit raising his voice and shouting: "I don't refuse. Publicly, I don't refuse anything. What do you want from me? Move from me. What do you want? I'm post-traumatic. I was in Nova, what do you want? Documents from a psychiatrist? Take a document from a psychiatrist. Move away from me. You maniac, my friends were murdered."
Levit's friend also intervened and turned to the policeman: "He saw his friends shot up on the floor." Levit continued: "What are you stopping me for? Move. You have no heart. Get off me; I will not attack you; you are attacking me. What are you, a Palestinian Arab? What are you?"
Passerby attempts to calm down the situation
At this point, the confrontation became violent, and the policeman knocked Levit to the ground to handcuff him. Those present at the scene who saw the confrontation approach and try to separate and calm Levit. "What is he doing? I'm not breathing?" Levit shouted as the officer tried to glue him to the ground.
A passerby approached and tried to calm Levit down as well. The policeman turned to him and asked him to help him identify him. "I want to identify him, give him a report, and release him - that's what I want. The guy is drunk; he's had alcohol."
Police later stated: "During the course of directing traffic and regulating traffic lights, the policeman spotted an electric scooter rider riding without a helmet, which is against the law. With him was an additional person, which is also against the law. The policeman signaled the rider to stop when he intended to warn him and explain the inherent dangers, but the rider did not slow down and tried to run away from the policeman."
"In doing so, he got stuck in a pole. The rider was asked to identify himself but tried to avoid the policeman and leave the scene while swearing at the policeman and a strong smell of alcohol wafting from him," the police added.
"During a breathalyzer test, the rider failed the test several times - which reinforced that he was drunk and the suspicion that he was riding in this condition and committed a severe violation of the law. Finally, the rider was identified, and a report was filed. Regarding the argument that he is a survivor of Nova, we note that every citizen is obliged to act according to the law and identify himself as a police officer."