Knesset passes law barring police from spraying ‘skunk’ liquid on protesters

The Knesset approved legislation overnight Monday barring police use of “skunk,” a foul-smelling liquid, on protesters, in a rare display of cooperation between coalition and opposition lawmakers.

Sprayed out of a high-pressure water cannon truck, the putrid liquid is often used on ultra-Orthodox anti-draft demonstrators and Palestinians in the West Bank, but has also been rolled out against anti-government protesters in recent years.

The bill, submitted by United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, was supported by opposition MKs, including Yesh Atid’s Merav Ben-Ari and Labor’s Gilad Kariv. The bill’s third reading passed 11-0.

Explanatory notes for the bill stated that “although the police procedures regulate the use of water cannon, over the years demonstrators and passersby were harmed by its use.”

The bill noted that the skunk liquid leaves a stench in the air and on the clothes of those who are hosed with it, and that such liquid is not used to disperse crowds in other countries.

Under the terms of the bill, police are prohibited from using skunk or any other liquid that is not plain water in the cannons. In addition, police are required to record all use of water cannon and keep the video for three years. Anyone who alleges injuries from water cannon use can request the video, and it must be released within seven days. Police can appeal for a court restriction against releasing the video if it will harm an investigation or national security.

The makeup of the skunk substance is shrouded in mystery, and relevant authorities have declined to disclose its exact ingredients. Some of those sprayed with the substance have reported skin irritation, shortness of breath, and headaches.

The mere smell of the liquid has been known to shut down businesses and schools for days. Police guidelines forbid spraying it into “enclosed buildings” and onto “roofs and balconies.” They specify that its use in built-up and dense areas is only as a last resort.

Last July, the Jerusalem Municipality sent a warning letter to police demanding they immediately halt their use of skunk to disperse protests in the city.

Skunk is produced by one supplier, the private Israeli firm Odortec, which invented the liquid. Promoting skunk as a safe yet effective means of dispersing protests, Odortec and the Israel Police emphasize its nontoxicity and purported eco-friendliness. While Odortec’s website claims the liquid is “perfectly safe to consume,” its safety regulations instruct that if it is ingested, one should “consult a physician who will decide on need and method for emptying the stomach.”