Police bust outdoor rave held in violation of social distancing rules
Hundreds attend party in forest near Modiin, with officers showing up and fining many for failing to wear face masks; organizer arrested
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Hundreds of young Israelis attended an outdoor rave over the weekend in violation of government restrictions on gatherings and of social distancing rules meant to stem the spread of coronavirus, the Israel Police said Sunday.
Police published body-camera footage of officers arriving and stopping the rave , which was held in a forest near the city of Modiin.
In a statement, police said officers had gathered information about the planned party via social media and arrived with reinforcements.
They found dozens of vehicles and tents at the scene, with many participants not wearing face masks and not adhering to social distancing rules, the statement said.
תיעוד: מאות השתתפו במסיבת טבע המונית ביער מודיעין. מארגן האירוע, בן 20 מהצפון, טען בפני השוטרים שמדובר במסיבת יום הולדת. אך במסוף המשטרה התברר כי תאריך הלידה שלו אינו מתאים לגרסתו@ittaishick
(צילום: דוברות המשטרה) pic.twitter.com/bnyxUWbmwc— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) July 19, 2020
The organizer, a 20-year-old man from northern Israel, told police it was his birthday party. Officers arrested him.
The rave was stopped, alcohol bottles were emptied out and officers issued fines to people for failing to wear masks.
In the published footage, one participant can be heard saying his mask was “stolen.”
New public restrictions authorized by the government to combat the spread of the coronavirus entered into effect on Friday, limiting public gatherings until further notice to 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors, with work groups and nuclear families exempt.
The Health Ministry said Sunday that 1,414 new coronavirus cases had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the national case total to 49,575 since the start of the pandemic, of which 27,729 were active cases. The COVID-19 death toll rose to 406.
The Times of Israel Community.