Slippery Slope

The police announced on its Twitter account that “fire ignited by protesters in a trash can on Kaplan st. in Tel Aviv caused an explosion. One person was probably wounded in the incident.” In fact, the fire was caused by a man called Moshe Silman who burnt himself as a protest against the government’s economic policies while policemen were present  and documented the event.

(Hebrew)

Police intelligence ordered the categorical targeting of all Israeli Arabs joining social protests. This contrasts with the directives regarding Jewish demonstrators, which focus on rioters and anarchists.

In internal Police papers, the social protests is called “The Social Revolt”.

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

Protesters who were arrested during a Tel-Aviv demonstration were asked by police officers about their sexual orientation.

(Hebrew - Ynet)

The police arrested social protest activists using excessive violence as they were trying to put up tents on Rothschild Blvd. in Tel Aviv, the center of the previous year’s protest. Among others, Tel Aviv police commander Yoram Ohayon arrested a protester who photographed the police, while another officer was threatening to break the protester’s arm (YouTube video in Hebrew). In another case, policemen were photographed looking for a legal excuse to remove a tent tied on top of a vehicle. When they couldn’t find any, they decided to disqualify the car on the ground that its front lights weren’t polished (Photo and explanation in Hebrew on Facebook).

The Police recently summoned for questioning social activists Tamir Hajaj from Kfar Saba and Moshe Cohen from Bat-Yam and questioned them about their plans for the social protest.

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

Activist Shlomi Avraham claims that police officers came to his house and took him to a police station for questioning, during which they accused him of theft after he was seen picking up discarded lumber from the street.  During the questioning the station commander entered the interrogation room and asked him about his plans for the upcoming demonstrations.

(Hebrew - Facebook)

The Police is summoning social activists who participated in last year’s social protests for interrogation, without informing them of the reason for the interrogation. (Ha’aretz)

Brigadier General Aharon Haliva, commander of the Reserve Division 98, accused his subordinates of participating in the social justice protests in the summer. “Now we haven’t got money for more missiles” he said to them.

(Hebrew)