Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

5 Av 5765 - August 10, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

OBSERVATIONS

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

POPULAR EDITORIALS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS
Police Captured on Film Encouraging Private Security Guards to Beat Avreichim

By Betzalel Kahn

MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni is demanding Deputy Internal Security Minister Yaakov Edery order an investigation to try a group of private security guards who ruthlessly beat avreichim protesting grave desecration by the Trans- Israel Highway Co. This is the second time in recent months the police have promised to take strong measures against violent guards but have failed to take any action.

During one of the demonstrations against the excavation of gravesites along the route of the Trans-Israel Highway three months ago security guards hired by a government company were filmed using extreme force against demonstrators. Some of the guards even used electric shockers despite instructions by the police not to use them.

The footage drew furious reactions when it was shown and in a meeting of the Internal Affairs Committee testimony the video footage greatly embarrassed ranking police commanders in attendance who had promised to arrest and try the guards. Meanwhile Trans-Israel Highway Co. CEO Yehuda Cohen said ties with the security company were severed immediately. A short time later police located the violent security guard and issued an indictment against him.

After firing the violent security guards the Trans-Israel Highway Co. hired Aryeh Security to guard the excavation site and to prevent demonstrators from stopping the grave desecration but the violent clashes continued.

Declarations by police officials against the use of weapons besides firearms proved empty when video footage taken at the site less than four weeks ago shows private security personnel continue to use excessive force against the demonstrators. Shot near Kibbutz Regavim, the videos clearly show the guards punching and kicking one of the demonstrators and then covering his mouth until he passed out as one of the guards says, "This will be the end of you."

The video also clearly shows Northern District Police Officials standing off to the side watching and even encouraging them to continue using brutality to handle the situation. The orders were not given by the policemen positioned at the scene but by the security company's northern supervisor. In this incident three demonstrators lost consciousness and suffered serious injuries.

The video, which was sent to MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, clearly shows the police commanders standing off to the side even though they tried to placed the blame on the demonstrators. When one commander arriving at the scene is informed that three chareidi demonstrators had lost consciousness and that the incident had been documented on film he tells the supervisor to bandage his hand and claim the chareidim acted violently toward the guards, forcing them to defend themselves. The supervisor accepts his advice, yet later is seen continuing to throw punches—even with the bandaged hand.

A short time later four beefy guards are shown dragging away one of the demonstrators when the supervisor approaches and without warning begins beating him ruthlessly.

On the video one of the police commanders who told the Internal Affairs Committee he was totally unaware of the presence of electric shockers at the previous demonstration can be heard speaking openly about them.

Later segments of the video show shocking scenes of demonstrators having their hair, beards, and payos pulled roughly, getting kicked and hit with billy clubs and having rocks hurled at them. Some had to undergo medical treatment and others were subject to degrading interrogations.

In response to a recent question before the Knesset, Deputy Internal Security Minister Edery told Rabbi Gafni that the directives are unambiguous and such conduct is clearly prohibited. "In every such case notify me and we will take care of it heavy-handedly," he said. Shortly thereafter Rabbi Gafni sent a copy of the video to his office asking Deputy Minister Edery to handle the incident immediately and to try the security guards for their illegal, inhuman treatment of the chareidi demonstrators.

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.