A lawsuit is being filed against an Israel Police officer by a chareidi minor who was beaten by him. The chareidi plaintiff is filing for 75,000 shekels in damages, represented by attorney Itamar Ben-Givir.

According to the lawsuit, six months ago, he was walking from his yeshiva in the Meah Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem to take part in the chasenah of a friend. “When the plaintiff arrived at Kikar Shabbos” states the lawsuit, “he encountered a protest in which youths were insulting police”.

The lawsuit continues that the officer believed the plaintiff was the person who shouted insults at him and he dragged him towards the end of the street and at one point, he struck him violently with his fist and blood ran down his face. “The officer continued acting wildly, punching him again and again while screaming at him”.

Ben-Givir explains the time has come for officers to be held accountable, stating “those police who carry out field justice against civilians be held accountable for their actions”.

Ben-Givir adds, “Unfortunately, the blood of chareidim has become hefker and the time has come to change the image that police beat chareidim and continue to beat them without accountability. I have 20 similar cases on my desk involving chareidim beaten without justification. The time has come for each abusive policeman will know that the will pay out of his pocket and I hope that in his post too so that the abuse will stop”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)