The Justice Ministry’s Police Investigations Department announced that they are looking into two cases of suspected police violence that took place at protests Saturday night, and will reach out to those involved and invite them to submit complaints.
The first incident examined by the PID is one in which “police officers allegedly attacked a protester in Jerusalem, and an officer was heard threatening him,” they said, adding that they are also looking into “the attack of Labor MK Naama Lazimi in Tel Aviv.”
In footage from the incident in Jerusalem, an officer can be heard telling a protester that he would “rape your mother,” and additional footage shows the protester was slammed into the hood of a police car by a number of officers.
Police responded to the incident saying that “the policeman’s conduct at the scene is not in line with the norms of discourse and conduct expected of every policeman,” adding that they will examine the incident.
When asked by The Jerusalem Post if the police officer involved will continue to work as normal while the examination takes place, and what the status of the investigation is, Israel Police said that “The incident is currently being reviewed by the Police Internal Investigations Department, and we will act in accordance with its findings” – without addressing whether the officer has been suspended or allowed to continue to work as normal.
Angry, but undeterred
“We are very angry but not deterred,” protest organization Changing Direction said on Sunday, adding that the protester was “arrested with extreme violence.”
As shocking as the statement by the officer was, it is not the first time this year that this statement has been made by officers at protests. An officer also threatened protester Amitai Aboudi, whose violent arrest made headlines last summer, that he would rape his mother.
Lazimi commented on the alleged attack against her on X Saturday, saying that police pulled her hair and strangled her. Police responded on X, saying that Lazimi “prevented the police officers from carrying out their duty, while pushing forcefully between the police officers and preventing them from [confiscating a] mobile phone, as seen in the attached documentation.”
“In a democratic country, the police can’t confiscate a protester’s cell phone simply because they do not like him,” Lazimi responded on X, saying that it is absurd that the Police spokesperson is justifying the officer who “violently and aggressively pulled her hair and grabbed her face and strangled her.”
“There are laws in Israel and while there is no executive authority that will defend citizens in Israel, we will be their shield, and you will not prevent us from fulfilling that duty,” she said.
Labor leader Yair Golan also responded on X, saying, “The police violence that was directed tonight towards MK Naama Lazimi, who defended the families of hostages with her body, and the violence towards demonstrators in Jerusalem, is crossing a redline, [and is] alarming and reminiscent of totalitarian regimes.”
“This is exactly what the politicization of the police by the criminal and terrorist supporter [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir looks like,” he wrote.
“The role of the police is to protect the citizens and not to be a private militia of a convicted criminal and beat citizens and members of the opposition.”
Lidar Grave-Lazi and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.