NOVANEWS
A policeman trying to evict a woman was caught on video telling her to ‘go ahead and kill yourself’ • Police: We’ve established a team to investigate the incident.
israelhayom.com
Israeli police have precise guidelines and restrictions regarding the use of force, but it appears that words can inflict damage as well and should be regulated.
Several weeks ago, a single mother and her two children began illegally squatting in a south Tel Aviv apartment. Police tried to evict her and the woman barricaded herself inside the apartment, threatening to kill herself.
The police officer said to her, “OK, go ahead and kill yourself, but not in front of us. Kill yourself later, not now.”
The mother was squatting in an empty apartment run by the Halamish public housing company.
When police arrived, a public housing advocacy group, called the Public Housing Team, caught the incident on video.
“The police arrived in great force, and the woman was not in the best psychological state,” said Lital Bar, an activist with the group.
“The eradication of public housing reduces thousands of families to great hardship,” said Michal Warshavsky, an activist with the group, in response to the incident.
Central District Police issued a statement in response: “Central District police chief Maj. Gen. Benzi Sau has ordered a team of inquiry to examine how to treat the issue. If necessary, we will take disciplinary measures against the police officer.”
