Seven police officers from the Yamas unit were released from police custody on Monday, after being questioned by the Police Internal Investigations Department over an incident in which Joint List MK Ofer Cassif was assaulted by multiple police officers during a protest over the weekend.
תיעוד נוסף של תקיפת ח"כ עופר כסיף במזרח ירושלים. יו"ר הכנסת לוין גינה: "אדרוש שהאחראים יתנו את הדין"https://t.co/Ihw0NOtO1o@SuleimanMas1 @yaara_shapira (צילום: אורן זיו, שיחה מקומית) pic.twitter.com/ai6n6wHNdY
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 9, 2021
The investigation came after Cassif filed a complaint with the Internal Investigations Department in which he described his version of events. Cassif had been in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah to protest in solidarity with its residents over an eviction when clashes broke out.
ח"כ עופר כסיף מהרשימה המשותפת הותקף על ידי שוטרים במהלך הפגנה בשכונת שיח' ג'ראח במזרח ירושלים@SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/QZMzcUnGbl
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 9, 2021
The police spokesperson claimed that Cassif refused to leave the area after officer declared the protest unlawful, and added that Cassif was involved in the riot.
Similarly, the police spokesperson said that officers in the area were unaware that Cassif was a member of the Knesset, and only after being tackled and handcuffed, did officers realize he was an MK.
The police also criticized Cassif's conduct in the incident. The Internal Investigations Department indicated that they are examining the details and videos of the incident that circulated on social media.