Israel: Social Justice Protest Results in Police Brutality

Written by Elizabeth Tsurkov

A protest organized by three groups affiliated with the Israeli social justice movement (#j14) was held in Jerusalem on Saturday night (June 8). The protesters demanded a reversal of the decision to export most of Israel’s natural gas reserves with only 12.5% of the value of the gas going to the State in taxes. The protesters also voiced objections against the budget of the new government, which is expected to significantly raise taxes on Israel’s lower and middle-class, while at the same time cutting government services on which those classes rely. The protest, despite being peaceful and rather small (a few hundreds of protesters) was met with an unusually high level of random police brutality.

Leftist activist Ben Marmara ^[1] tweeted a series of updates throughout the protest:

×©×•×˜×¨×™× ×ž×›×™× × ×©×™× ×‘×™×¨×•×©×œ×™×, ×™×© ×œ×›×œ×•× ××ª ×”×©×•×˜×¨×™×
×©×•×˜×¨×™× ×”×™×›×• ×ž×¤×’×™× ×” ×•×›×¢×ª ×¢×¦×¨×• ××•×ª×”. #J14
×©×•×˜×¨×™× ×ž×ž×©×™×›×™× ×œ×¢×¦×•×¨ ×‘× ×™ ××“× ×•×œ×”×¢×ž×™×¡ ××•×ª× ×¢×œ ×˜× ×“×¨×™×. #J14 ×™×© ×›×‘×¨ ×›×ž×” ×•×›×ž×” ×¢×¦×•×¨×•×ª ×•×¢×¦×•×¨×™× ×‘×™×¨×•×©×œ×™×.
×›×ž×• ×‘×”×¤×’× ×” ×‘×¨×ž×ª ×’×Ÿ ×’× ×”×™×•× ×”×ž×©×˜×¨×” ×¢×‘×¨×” ×¢×œ ×”×—×•×§ ×•×ž× ×¢×” ×‘×›×•×— ×§×™×•× ×©×œ ×”×¤×’× ×”. ××—”×› ×¢×¦×¨×• ×ž×¤×’×™× ×™× ×•×ž×¤×’×™× ×•×ª

Policemen are beating up women, they should be jailed.
There are a number of female and male detainees in Jerusalem. #j14 Police keep arresting people and piling them into police vans.
Just like the protest in Ramat Gan [against the export of natural gas], once again, the police broke the law and forcefully prevented a protest. Then they arrested protesters.

Jerusalem-based #j14 activist, Yishai Oltchik, posted this update ^[2] on Facebook:

××– ×”×™×•× ×× ×™ ×™×›×•×œ ×œ×¦×™×™×Ÿ ××ª ×”×¤×¢× ×”×¨××©×•× ×” ×©×‘×” ×©×•×˜×¨ ×“×¤×§ ×œ×™ ×‘×¢×™×˜×”. ×ª×§×£ ××•×ª×™, ×–××ª ××•×ž×¨×ª.

×œ×ž×”? ×¤×©×•×˜ ×›×™ ×¢×ž×“×ª×™ ×¢× ×©×œ×˜ ×”×¤×’× ×” ×©×§×•×¨× ×œ×§×™×•× ×“×™×•×Ÿ ×‘×›× ×¡×ª ×‘× ×•×©× ×™×™×¦×•× ×”×’×–. ×œ× ×“×™×‘×¨×ª×™ ×¢× ×”×©×•×˜×¨, ×œ× ×¢×ž×“×ª×™ ×§×¨×•×‘ ××œ ×”×©×•×˜×¨, ××¤×™×œ×• ×œ× ×”×¨××ª×™ ×¡×™×ž× ×™× ×©×× ×™ ×œ× ×ž×ª×›×•×•×Ÿ ×œ×©×ª×£ ×¤×¢×•×œ×” ×× ×”×•× ×™×‘×§×© ×ž×ž× ×™ ×œ×–×•×–. ××¤×™×œ×• ×œ× ×”×¡×ª×›×œ×ª×™ ××œ×™×• ×‘××•×¤×Ÿ ×™×©×™×¨. ××¤×™×œ×• ×œ× ×¦×™×œ×ž×ª×™, ×©×–×” ×“×‘×¨ ×©×ž×•×ª×¨ ×œ×¢×©×•×ª ××‘×œ ×‘×“×¨×š ×›×œ×œ ×ž×¡×ª×™×™× ×‘×ª×§×™×¤×”.
×¤×©×•×˜ ×¢×ž×“×ª×™ ×‘×ž×§×•×, ×•××– ×”×•× ×”×’×™×¢, ×“×—×£ ×‘×¢×•×¦×ž×” ××ª ×”×‘×—×•×¨×” ×©×”×—×–×™×§×” ××™×ª×™ ××ª ×”×©×œ×˜ (×•×”×¢×™×£ ××•×ª×” ×¢×œ ×’×‘×”), ×•×¢×œ ×”×“×¨×š ×‘×¢×˜ ×‘×™.

××™×š ×”×’×‘×ª×™? ×§×¨××ª×™ ××œ×™×• ×‘×”×¤×ª×¢×” “×œ×ž×”?” ×•××—×¨×™ ×©× ×™×” ×”×¨×ž×ª×™ ×™×“×™×™× ×‘××•×•×™×¨ (×©×œ× ×™×’×™×“ ×©×× ×™ ×ª×•×§×£ ××•×ª×•) ×•×¦×¢×§×ª×™ ×©×”×©×•×˜×¨ ×ª×•×§×£ ××•×ª×™. ×”×•× ×›× ×¨××” ×”×—×œ×™×˜ ×©×–×” ×ž×¡×¤×™×§ ×•×¢×–×‘ ××•×ª×™ ×œ× ×¤×©×™.
×”×œ×›×ª×™ ×œ×§×¦×™×Ÿ ×”×ž×©×˜×¨×” ×”×§×¨×•×‘ ×•××ž×¨×ª×™ ×œ×• ×©×©×•×˜×¨ ×‘×¢×˜ ×‘×™ ×œ×œ× ×¡×™×‘×”; ×”×•× ×—×™×™×š ×•×”×ž×©×™×š ×œ×œ×›×ª.

×•×ž×›×œ ×ž×” ×©×”×™×” ×©×, ×”×›××‘ ×©×œ ×”×‘×¢×™×˜×”, ×”×–×¢× ×•×”×¢×œ×‘×•×Ÿ ×¢×œ ×›×š ×©×”×•×ª×§×¤×ª×™ ×œ×œ× ×¡×™×‘×” (×•×ž×™ ×©×ž×›×™×¨ ××•×ª×™ ×™×•×“×¢ ×©×× ×™ ×œ× ××“× ××œ×™×), ×ž×” ×©×”×›×™ ×ž×›×¢×™×¡ ××•×ª×™ ×–×• ×”×™×“×™×¢×” ×©×–×” ×œ× ×ž×©×”×• ×ž×™×•×—×“. ×–×” ×œ× ×™×•×¦× ×“×•×¤×Ÿ.
×¤×©×•×˜ ×”×’×™×¢ ×ª×•×¨×™ ×”×¤×¢×, ×•×¢×•×“ ×™×© ×œ×™ ×ž×–×œ ×©×”×©×•×˜×¨ ×”×¡×ª×¤×§ ×¨×§ ×‘×‘×¢×™×˜×” ××—×ª — ×›×™ ×‘×“×¨×š ×›×œ×œ ×–×” ×œ× × ×¤×¡×§ ××—×¨×™ ×ž×›×” ××—×ª ×‘×•×“×“×ª.
×¨××™×ª×™ ×¢×•×“ ×œ×¤×—×•×ª ×¢×•×“ ×¢×©×¨×” ×× ×©×™× × ×“×—×¤×™× ×‘×¢×•×¦×ž×” ×•/××• ×—×•×˜×¤×™× ×ž×›×•×ª ‘×‘×§×˜× ×”’ ×ž×©×•×˜×¨×™×, ×•×¢×•×“ ×ž×¢×¦×¨ ××œ×™× ××—×“ ××• ×©× ×™×™× ×©×™×¦× ×œ×™ ×œ×¨××•×ª.

So today I can mark the first time when a cop kicked me. Attacked me, I mean. Why? Simply because I stood with a sign calling the Knesset [Israeli Parliament] to hold hearings regarding the export of natural gas…. I did not talk to the cop… did not look at him directly. I did not even film him, which is legal but usually ends in assault [by the cops]. I just stood there and then he arrived, forcefully pushed the girl who held the sign with me (throwing her on her back), and on the way, kicked me…. I went to a nearby police officer and told him that the cop kicked me for no reason; he just smiled and kept walking.
…
The thing that makes me so angry is knowing that this is not something out of the ordinary. It was just my turn this time, and I was lucky that the policemen thought that one kick was enough — because usually it doesn’t end after one blow. I saw at least 10 other people being pushed and kicked by policemen, and one or two violent arrests.

Tel Aviv-based #j14 activist Orly Bar-Lev posted ^[3]this image on Facebook and wrote:

.
×¤×¨×©×™×??? ×œ×”×›×•×ª × ×©×™×??? ×ž×¤×’×™×Ÿ ×©× ×“×¨×¡ ×¢×œ ×™×“×™ ×©×•×˜×¨ ×¢×œ ××•×¤× ×•×¢???
×ž×” × ×¡×’×¨ ××ª×›×?
×ž×™ × ×ª×Ÿ ××ª ×”×”×•×¨××” ×œ×¢×¦×•×¨ ××ª ×”×”×¤×’× ×” ×‘××œ×™×ž×•×ª ×•×œ×“×›× ××ª ×–×›×•×ª ×”×ž×—××”? ×ž×™ × ×ª×Ÿ ××ª ×”×”×•×¨××” ×œ×ž× ×•×¢ ×ž×¦×¢×“×ª ×ž×—××” ×“×ž×•×§×¨×˜×™×ª ×œ×”×’×™×¢ ×œ×‘×™×ª×• ×©×œ ×¨××© ×”×ž×ž×©×œ×”?
×ž×™ ××—×¨××™ ×œ×˜×™×¨×•×£ ×”×–×”?

Hundreds of law-abiding and peaceful concerned citizens who came to protest against the austerity measures, the economic situation and the export of gas were met with violent and completely disproportional police treatment. Policemen on horses??? Beating up women??? A protester who was run over by a cop on a motorcycle??? What is wrong with you?
Who gave the order to stop this protest violently and repress the right to protest? Who gave the order to stop a democratic rally from reaching the home of the Prime Minister? Who is responsible for this madness?

Andrea Radu re-posted Orly’s update and added ^[4]:

×‘×“×ž×•×§×¨×˜×™×” ×”×™×—×™×“×” ×‘×ž×–×¨×— ×”×ª×™×›×•×Ÿ ×ž×›×™× ×“×•×¨×¡×™× ×•×¢×•×¦×¨×™× ×ž×¤×’×™× ×™× ×©×œ×•×™× ×›×™ × ×™×¡×• ×œ×ž×ž×© ××ª ×–×›×•×ª× ×”×“×ž×•×§×¨×˜×™×ª ×œ×”×¤×’×™×Ÿ #J14 #1984

In the only democracy in the Middle east, peaceful protesters get run over, beaten and arrested because they attempted to exercise their democratic right to protest.

The protest and police brutality did not receive a great deal of coverage and Israeli media and activists complained about biased reporting. Naminag ^[5]who was at the protest tweeted:

×‘×˜×ž×§× ××•×ž×¨×™× ×©××ª×ž×•×œ ×”×©×•×˜×¨×™× ×”×©×ª×ž×©×• ‘×‘×›×•×— ×¡×‘×™×¨’. ×•×•××œ×œ×”, ×›×™ ×× ×™ ×¨××™×ª×™ ×ž×¤×’×™× ×” ×©×”×•×˜×—×” ×¢×œ ×’×¨× ×ž×“×¨×’×•×ª ×•×”×ª×’×œ×’×œ×” ×‘×”×Ÿ ×œ×ž×˜×”, ×©×•×˜×¨ ×©×“×¨×¡ ×ž×¤×’×™×Ÿ ×¢× ×”××•×¤× ×•×¢ ×©×œ×• ×•×©×•×˜×¨ ×©× ×’×— ×‘×ž×¤×’×™×Ÿ ×¢× ×§×¡×“×”. ×•×›×œ ×–×” ×¢×•×“ ×œ×¤× ×™ ×©×¦×¢×“× ×• 100 ×ž’. #j14

Ynet [major Israeli news site, owned by Yedhioth Aharonot, close to Finance Minister, Yair Lapid] says that policemen used “reasonable force”. Really? Because I saw a protester being pushed down a flight of stairs and rolling down, a policemen who ran over a protester with his motorcycle and a policemen wearing a helmet who headbutted a protester. And all of this before we even marched 100 meters.

On Facebook, often dubbed the “#j14 lawyer”, Barak Cohen, shares this video ^[6]showing police dragging away a protester:

He shares another video ^[7] on YouTube showing police arresting him for merely standing on the sidewalk: http://youtu.be/NqVcnYl8BAg