Jerusalem cop caught on tape pepper spraying detained leftist
Activist claims policeman's actions were unjustified; police say video edited unfairly.
By Nir Hasson Tags: Israel police Israel newsHaaretz has obtained a video that shows a police officer pepper spraying the face of a left-wing demonstrator detained during Friday's clashes in east Jerusalem.
The activist is Dr. Eyal Nir, a chemistry professor at Ben Gurion University, who claims that he was not resisting the policeman, with whom he is seen arguing. Nir was later taken to a hospital on Friday for treatment for his eye, from the pepper spray, and for a dislocated shoulder, which happened during a scuffle with police.
Jerusalem police say the footage has been edited in a manner to reflect badly on the officers.
"You don't see what happened beforehand," said Chief Superintendent Shmuel Ben-Ruby, the Jerusalem police spokesman. "There was an exceptionally violent demonstration. We don't just beat protestors - the fact is the last demonstrations passed quietly."
Six Israel Police officers were lightly wounded and 21 left-wing activists were arrested Friday during the demonstration in the capital's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
The demonstrators were protesting the eviction of Palestinian families from their homes.
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They wouldnt be evicted if they were their homes. They are being evicted from homes they do not own and have been squatting in for decades. They are lucky the real owners are not charging them retroactive rent!
Including settlers? I guess pepper spray and detention is reserved for the unarmed left......PEACE EVER?
I was there, the police are wrong, they let us go into the court yard, and even gaurded us from settlers who tried to enter the yard, but after about half an hour they suddenly, with out any warning, attacked us violently. only after half an hour of violent attacks from the police did they take the megaphone and gave us any kind of instructions.
The weekly riots are a tourist attraction with Arabs charging $20 to attend and making a nice profit. Naturally they will not end riots when such good money is being made. Oh what you thought it was against the fence? How naive people can be!
"We don't just BEAT protestors... we beat the SHEOL out of them."
So why don't they make their video footage of what happened before available? Maybe it will only put them further to shame. See, we can catch protesting leftists, but not settler arsonists... tree cutters, intimidators of children and old people, etc. etc.
After all, we all are human and we care for each other. Shalom brothers.