Following the shocking police brutality toward Chareidi protesters on Wednesday morning, Kikar H’Shabbat published an investigation that revealed that even before yesterday’s protest, a letter was sent to Police Chief Danny Levy regarding footage in recent weeks that reveals that the police are throwing stun grenades directly at protesters—but only when the protesters are Chareidi.

According to the report, the violence on Wednesday was only the tip of the iceberg. Footage obtained by Kikar HaShabbat shows systematic use of stun grenades in violation of regulations, direct throws at protesters, and severe injuries to protesters’ faces and heads.

Police regulations explicitly prohibit throwing stun grenades directly at protesters. The regulations require that the grenades be thrown into the air or onto the ground so that they explode at a safe distance from protestors.

One video shows a Chareidi man being struck by a stun grenade at a protest at the entrance to Jerusalem. He required medical treatment and was evacuated to the hospital. Witnesses said that the grenade was thrown directly at the protesters.

In another video, an officer is seen turning off his body camera before throwing a stun grenade directly at a group of protesters. One struck a Chareidi man directly on his head, seriously injuring him.

A third video shows a stun grenade thrown directly at a group of protesters, injuring a number of them.

Even before the protest on Wednesday, Attorney Menachem Stauber sent a letter to Levy regarding the excessive violence against Chareidi protesters. To date, he has received no response.

The Association for the Protection of Chareidim said that it received confirmation that the letter was received by his office.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)