Police Commissioner Alsheikh
Photo: Amit Shabi
Police chief casts doubt on activist's police brutality allegations
While iterating his support for Police Investigation Unit's inquiry into incidents at Gaza solidarity protest Friday, Commissioner Alsheikh castigates protesters' turning 'pedestrian mall into battlefield'; 'Have you ever seen anyone walking around with a broken leg?' he wonders, referring to allegations by human rights activist that policeman intentionally broke his leg.
Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh commented Monday on the incidents surrounding a Gaza solidarity protest
in Haifa Friday, which culminated with the arrests of 21 protesters. While the police chief welcomed the Police Investigation Unit's inquiry into the matter, he clarified, "It was a highly violent riot. That's not legitimate protest, even in a tolerant democracy."
Commissioner Alsheikh spoke at a Beit Shemesh ceremony also attended by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan. "The Police Investigation Unit will examine the reports and medical findings and question the officers," he said. "We are taking no further action so as not to tamper with their investigation. If they decide an inquiry is warranted, they will investigate."
Commissioner Alsheikh (L) and Jafar Farah. Alsheikh said the Police Investigation Unit should be allowed to conclude its inquiry and that the police will act on their recommendations
One of the detainees, the director of the Mossawa Center that promotes the rights of Israel's Arab citizens, was hospitalized after claiming a policeman intentionally broke his leg.
When the police commissioner was asked about footage showing the director, Jafar Farah, on his feet after being arrested, he said he had never seen anyone walking with a leg fracture.
Mossawa Center director Farah in a court hearing. Alsheikh said he had never seen anyone walking around on a broken leg (Photo: Zohar Shachar)
On the allegedly excessive use of police force in breaking up the protest, Alsheikh stated officers on the scene had no other choice.
"We're talking about chairs flying, an entire pedestrian mall turned into a battlefield, throwing stones at cops. Obviously force was used. Were boundaries overstepped? If that turns out to be the case, we will deal with it harshly," he vowed.
In conclusion, Alsheikh said that, "At the end of the day, our role is not to make outlandish statements but to allow the Police Investigation Unit to carry out its inquiry."
Alsheikh (2nd left) and Public Security Minister Erdan, who said at the ceremony policemen operated in a highly complex environment (Photo: Amit Shabi)
Minister Erdan also commented on Friday's protest at the ceremony, saying that, "Policemen nowadays need to be familiar with many things—laws, regulations, social fabric and cultural nuances. Making split-second decisions.
"Events in the last few days have served up an example of police's highly complex role, and the need to maintain public order while allowing protest under the freedom of speech in which we all believe."
"Our policemen are administering their duties under conditions of stress, while unfortunately being pelted with insults and sometimes even physically assaulted. They must still maintain composure and remember their mission. There is none harder. Police must also make sure it makes judicious use of the powers the law provided it with, and that while upholding the public's safety it also preserves its trust."
Some of the detainees in court Monday. All 19 were eventually released (Photo: Ahiya Raved)
The Haifa Magistrate's Court decided earlier Monday to release all 19 people remaining in detention after the protest decrying Israel's actions in the Gaza border riots, rejecting police's request to extend their remand by five days.
Judge Amir Salameh did, however, accede to police's request to delay by several hours the release of seven of the detainees, suspected of assaulting a police officer, so police could decide whether to appeal their release.
Once the police decided not to appeal, the seven were released as well.
