Israeli police arrested Yaakov Kassman, the operator of a news hotline that reports on arrests of draft evaders by military police, accusing him of inciting thousands to take to the streets and confront law enforcement during violent riots that erupted about a month ago on Bar-Ilan Street in Jerusalem.
According to police, Kassman was the central figure operating behind the scenes of the disturbances. Investigators claim he used his telephone platform to mobilize large numbers of protesters within a short period of time, allegedly referring to police officers as “kidnappers” and urging listeners to confront them. Police attributed a series of serious offenses to Kassman, including assault, deliberate damage to police vehicles, and assisting suspects in fleeing custody.
During a court hearing, police portrayed Kassman as a figure wielding significant influence, describing him as an operational force who was able to rapidly incite mass unrest. Based on these allegations, police requested that his detention be extended by six days.
However, Jerusalem Magistrate Court Judge Gad Aranberg rejected the request and ordered Kassman’s release, ruling that there was insufficient justification to keep him behind bars. In his decision, the judge stated that even a call for an illegal protest does not automatically warrant arrest. He also expressed doubt as to whether Kassman was aware that his statements would lead to violent outcomes, noting that it was unclear whether Kassman knew that his call to protest would result in police vehicles being overturned.
Kassman, along with another suspect arrested in connection with the case, was released to house arrest. Police immediately requested a stay of the ruling in order to file an appeal with the District Court.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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One Response
I don’t know who he is or how he does it, but I used to get these calls when I lived in Yerushalayim. It was very annoying to know that the outcome of the robocall I recieved would be a delay on my commute home.