Feb 16 • 10:23 UTC 🇮🇱 Israel Haaretz

All detainees from the riots in Bnei Brak have been released, seven of them – under house arrest

All individuals detained during the riots in Bnei Brak were released, with seven individuals placed under house arrest after the police initially sought to prolong their detention.

All detainees from the riots that occurred in Bnei Brak on Monday have been released from custody. Among these, seven individuals—three adults and four minors—were placed under house arrest by the courts in Tel Aviv and Bat Yam, despite the police's request to extend their detention by four days. The other 19 residents detained during the riots were released by the police during the night. Two of the released detainees face charges of unlawful assembly and assaulting a police officer, having been subjected to restrictive conditions, including prohibition from participating in further unlawful gatherings.

Family members of one of the suspects claimed that there was no violence involved in the protests. They asserted that the ultra-Orthodox community largely does not resort to physical confrontation, framing the incident as a legitimate demonstration rather than a violent outburst. The relatives emphasized that soldiers should feel safe in Bnei Brak and criticized the notion of forcibly conscripting ultra-Orthodox individuals. Comments made by relatives suggested that the presence of law enforcement during the protests resembled historical state violence, seeking to create a dramatic impression.

Iti Cohen, an attorney representing one of the suspects, described the arrests as a show of force against largely innocent individuals, arguing that most were simply curious onlookers. He highlighted that those arrested were detentions based on their participation in the protests, rather than any unlawful action taken during the event. His statements paint the arrests as a form of retaliation for the protest, suggesting a troubling dynamic between the religious community and police in Bnei Brak, bearing implications for community-police relations moving forward.

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