The Israel Police has accused several media outlets of deliberately ignoring and not covering the violence of the left-wing protesters yesterday "as part of a biased coverage against the police", according to a statement.
The police stated that policemen who were stationed at protests last night experienced physical violence from protesters who refused to obey orders to disperse and assaulted police with sticks.
In addition, protesters threw smoke grenades, sprayed paint on the windshield of a riot control pumper truck, placed various objects on the road to block it, and some even threw objects at the policemen who were on the scene from a bridge. One of the bottles thrown hit a policeman in the head.
The police stated that yesterday violent disturbances occurred after protesters attacked and injured 14 police officers. Some of the officers were evacuated for medical treatment in a hospital. "What happened on Begin Road was the furthest thing from a legal protest," said an officer.
A police officer who worked at the scene said: "For many hours, we worked to allow the thousands of demonstrators to protest in the Knesset area even when they bordered on disorderly conduct. What happened on Begin Road was the furthest thing from a legal protest - it was disorderly conduct and a violent riot for the sake of it."
According to him, "In addition to the fact that hundreds of violators significantly damaged the fabric of life of Jerusalem residents and road users in the area, they refused to leave the area, physically confronted us, attacked us, and even threw objects at us from a height. All our warnings went unheeded and our police officers were injured."
In conclusion, he said that "the use of crowd control measures was necessary, and it is a shame that there are those who present last night's disturbances on the road in a completely distorted way, as if it was a coordinated, short and quiet demonstration without violence, which did not harm anyone. This is one of the most violent disturbances in Jerusalem in recent memory."
Police Commissioner Chief Superintendent Yaakov Shabtai earlier held a situation assessment meeting with the senior command staff of the Israel Police in view of the series of protests that took place this week throughout the country and the expected protests later this week.
The commissioner noted in the discussion that the Israel Police consider the right to protest as a cornerstone in a democratic country and emphasized to the commanders that the police will allow any protest as long as it takes place within the law. The commissioner emphasized that a distinction must be made between a protest that takes place within the law and a disturbance of order.
Shabtai wished a speedy recovery to the police officers who were injured yesterday as a result of violence directed at them in several protests.
He also added: "These are not simple days. We are standing in the eye of the storm, and are subject to criticism from both sides of the fence. Some will say that we are too tolerant and inclusive, and some will say that we are acting too harshly. You and I know very well that we are doing the best we can, and of course we are also sometimes wrong. In any case, the wrong impression must not be created as if the operative decisions are made as a result of external pressures."
"The police commanders, and myself at the head of them, are responsible for the operation of the police forces. All orders are received only in the chain of command, and only on the basis of professional and operational considerations. The police depend on the public's trust, and the knowledge that we act according to the law and without bias. This is our duty, and this is my duty," he concluded.
