In recent years, attacks on police officers have become part of routine. Many do not respect the police and the courts do not punish the rioters. This was also the case of a young man from Jerusalem who, during a Purim party, caused a traffic stop, refused the policemen's request to leave the area, and his friends beat a policeman in order to get him released – the court settled for a fine of only 4,000 shekels.
According to the indictment in which the defendant was convicted, he and his friends were at a Purim party that took place on Agripas Street in Jerusalem, near the kollel where they study. The defendant danced in the middle of the road and caused traffic to stop. Police officers who arrived at the scene asked the defendant and his friends to clear the road, but he did not obey and stood in front of the hood of the police vehicle, which had to make emergency brakes, making contact between the defendant and the hood.
Police car (illustration), photo: Marco
The officers got out of the car, the defendant approached one of them, made physical contact with him, and the policeman pushed him away. The defendant also returned and confronted the policeman. The police tried to arrest the accused, but he physically and violently resisted arrest. The policeman knocked the defendant to the ground, and the crowd of revellers who were there severely attacked the policeman.
One of the rioters even managed to separate the defendant from the policeman. The defendant rose from the floor, and the policeman took out pepper spray in his possession, sprayed it at the defendant and knocked him to the ground. The defendant continued to resist, but the officers managed to handcuff him. During the incident, the defendant threatened one of the policemen and told him to slaughter him.
Judge Joya Scapa Shapira noted in sentencing that the defendant's conduct prior to his arrest was exceptional compared to the other celebrants, but it is difficult to say that he committed the offenses alone and that the police did not act to locate any of the others who participated in the incident and bring them to justice, and settled for a fine.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us