Eliezer Noach and Hadassah Shulman, the Chareidi couple who was knocked to the ground by an anti-riot water cannon last week, plan to file a lawsuit against the police.

As a result of falling on the ground from the force of the spray directed at them, Hadassah’s arm was injured and she had to be evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment. At the time, the couple was passing by an area where a protest was being held but was at a noticeable distance from the protesters and was clearly not participating in it.

Apart from the lawsuit, the couple’s lawyer also filed an official complaint last week with the Department for the Investigation of Police (DIP).

According to an Arutz Sheva report, their attorney sent a letter demanding that a comprehensive investigation be launched and that those involved in the incident be suspended from all police activity.

“My client was a civil servant for decades and served the state with dedication and loyalty,” the attorney wrote. “He recently retired and sits in kollel and learns Torah every day. My client has never been involved in any criminal incident, chalilah. My client’s wife is also a law-abiding woman who still works for her living and is now confined to her home due to the severe injury she incurred.”

“In addition to medical harm, [the injury] caused a financial loss of tens of thousands of shekels.”

He elaborated that apart from the cost of medical treatment and missed work days, the couple’s glasses were destroyed, their clothes were torn, and the woman’s expensive sheitel was damaged.

“The intentional harm to my clients who had done nothing wrong is a serious and blatant violation of the law and of human rights,” he wrote. “I would appreciate the opening of a comprehensive investigation and the suspension of all those involved in the incident from any police activity.”

The lawyer asked the head of the DIP to contact him in order to discuss the amount of compensation his clients will receive in the wake of the extensive damages they suffered. In addition, he requested that all those involved in the incident should apologize to the couple.

“I would like to emphasize that I intend to claim the full amount of all damages from Israel Police and the officers who harmed my clients. It is impossible to return to routine following such a serious case of violence on the part of the police against two elderly people. Instead of the police protecting them, they were the ones who harmed them.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)