Cops briefly detain clown in mock police uniform at Jerusalem protest

Police arrest clown protester at a hostage families protest in Jerusalem on January 11, 2025. (Jess Flom)
Police arrest clown protester at a hostage families protest in Jerusalem on January 11, 2025. (Jess Flom)

Jerusalem police officers arrest Hashoteret Az-Oolay, a mainstay of the city’s protest scene, outside the prime minister’s residence at a hostage families demonstration.

Decked out in clown makeup and a mock police uniform, Az-Oolay is a frequent face at the hostage families protests, where she hands out heart-shaped stickers to protesters, police and bystanders.

Her arrest incensed nearby demonstrators and the news quickly made its way to the rally’s main stage.

Dana, emceeing the rally, lauds Az-Oolay as the “most well-known figure of Jerusalem’s protests.”

“She is a figure of love, giving, acceptance and helping others — and it’s her that the police choose to arrest,” she says to the crowd, which responds with chants of “shame” toward law enforcement.

After around half an hour, the police return her to Paris Square, the location of the rally.

Most Popular