The Jerusalem Municipality last week sent an urgent letter of warning to the Israel Police demanding an immediate cessation of the use of the skunk spray in residential neighborhoods and populated areas of the city.

It should be noted that the skunk water cannon is almost exclusively used in Chareidi areas only to disperse protests. It was used in last week’s protests that followed the arrest of three avreichim and the odor persisted for days, causing much unpleasantness for the residents of the area, most of whom were not involved in the protests.

The letter, sent by the legal counsel of the Jerusalem Municipality, stated that “the use of this measure is unreasonable, disproportionate, and causes severe harm to an innocent population—including children, the elderly, and residents who are not involved in the incidents.”

The letter also underscored the extensive damage caused to the Jerusalem Municipality, amounting to millions of shekels, adding that the situation is a serious public nuisance that significantly harms all residents of the city, who are not among those disturbing the peace. Efforts by the municipality’s Sanitation and Hygiene Division to mitigate the odor and its impact have proven unsuccessful, despite the considerable financial costs incurred.

Furthermore, the municipality said that it views the continued use of the skunk spray cannon with great severity due to its harm to both the quality of life and the health of the city’s residents and unequivocally demands that the police cease its use within Jerusalem.

The municipality clarified that if the use of skunk spray continues, it will act with all legal means at its disposal to protect the city’s residents.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)