Cop convicted of assault over 2023 whipping of anti-government protester in Tel Aviv

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court convicts a police officer of assault after he repeatedly whipped a protester during an anti-government protest in the city some two years ago.

The incident occurred on April 1, 2023, as anti-government demonstrators were blocking the Ayalon Highway. Police ordered protesters to disperse from the thoroughfare. Not long after, the mounted officer, Shai Peretz, was filmed riding up to the complainant Yael Reuveni and cornering her up against one of the highway’s guardrails.

The cop on horseback trampled Reuveni’s foot, injuring her, then proceeded to whip her repeatedly with his riding crop as she tried to limp off the road and move away from him.

דיווח שקיבלנו זה עתה – פרש מכה מפגינה. חוויתם או הייתם עדים לאלימות הערב – דווחו לנו ב https://t.co/84mN8qiN6v pic.twitter.com/JRRUhmqIAa

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) April 1, 2023

Reuveni had been walking in the direction the police had instructed, per the ruling, and was complying with law enforcement’s orders when Peretz attacked her.

Peretz pleaded innocent against the allegations. His attorneys insisted that he had been acting in self-defense as he “felt his life was in danger and feared losing control of the horse.”

His lawyers further claimed that Reuveni sought to harm and confront him out of purported animus toward police officers.

Last month, a similar incident occurred in which a mounted officer appeared to whip a Haaretz photojournalist during an anti-government protest.

Several videos uploaded to social media showed a policeman on horseback hitting Itai Ron with his riding crop, causing the photographer to lurch backwards.