From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Lapid asks Knesset Speaker to take action after police rough up MKs, protesters
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Following last night’s anti-government protests, during which police were filmed manhandling MK Naama Lazimi of The Democrats party, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid appeals to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud) to demand that police protect both demonstrators and lawmakers.
“In recent weeks, the Israeli government has lost all restraint, and is carrying out a relentless attack on the character of the country and its values,” Lapid writes to Ohana in a letter shared by his spokesman.
“Hundreds of thousands of Israeli patriots are taking to the streets to defend the country they love. Unfortunately, we are witnessing cases of police violence against protesters and MKs. Just last night, MK Naama Lazimi was attacked by police, as have other cases in the past in which MKs Gilad Kariv, Naor Shiri and Vladimir Beliak were attacked, along with many citizens,” he continues.
Accusing Ohana of remaining silent “in the face of violence by law enforcement,” Lapid demands that he “work with Police Commissioner Danny Levy to regulate the treatment of protesters and MKs during demonstrations and demand that he protect them.”
Despite people screaming that she was a member of Knesset, law enforcement officers on Monday evening grabbed, pulled and shoved MK Lazimi as she screamed in fear.
Following the attack, Lazimi accused the police of helping the government suppress democracy.
The police are working “for the coup government, a Kahanist criminal and a prime minister suspected of serious security incidents,” she tweeted at the time.
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