Shmuel, who took part in the protest near Bnei Brak on Wednesday morning, spoke to Kol Chai about his confrontation with police, the injuries he suffered during the event, and the humiliation he experienced.

Shmuel said that a disproportionate amount of force was used against the protesters from the very beginning. “Suddenly they ran toward me, throwing I don’t know how many stun grenades,” he said. “I curled up into myself and protected my head and my eyes. I said that at least I should keep my eyes and ears.”

“They came running out of the smoke and simply tore through us. My entire shirt was covered in blood, both my arms were red, and everything was full of blood. These weren’t light blows—they were blows that left marks. I’m still suffering from pain in my arms and legs.”

He painfully added that despite the injuries, what hurt him the most was the deliberate public humiliation.

“That was the moment that broke me completely,” he said. “Two police officers picked me up like a sack of potatoes. I was completely curled up inside myself.”

“The commander at the scene then arrived. He told the officers, ‘Watch how this is done.’ He put his hand into the pocket of my pants and simply pulled. I was left almost without pants in the middle of the street in front of the cameras. I said to myself, this isn’t a minor incident—this is terrible humiliation.”

Shmuel added: “You can get over the blows, but being humiliated like that in the middle of the street in front of everyone—that’s what broke me.”

Despite the difficult experience, Shmuel clarified that he will continue to protest. “Despite humiliation and the injuries, I was filled with joy,” he said. “I believe that serving Hashem comes with hardships. If this is part of our struggle, then so be it.”

At the end of the interview, he said he hopes a formal lawsuit will be filed over the event. “This isn’t only my story,” he said. “It’s a broader story that needs a response.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)