Senior police officers sharply criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Thursday night after he ordered an urgent discussion on the use of stun grenades in demonstrations. The move followed the ultra-Orthodox protest on Route 4 and the police violence used against protesters there.
According to a report on i24, officers accused Ben Gvir of blaming rank-and-file police for the controversy. One officer said, "They are throwing us under the bus because Ben Gvir was angry. I do not remember him being this angry when grenades were thrown in Kaplan. Suddenly it is convenient to shift all responsibility to the officers in the field? We are taking a step back, whoever wants to clear by force should do it himself." They added, "As far as we are concerned, let them shut down the country." They also said that when it comes to ultra-Orthodox protesters, "it is not allowed to use batons, mounted police, or stun grenades."
Ben Gvir responded shortly after the protest began and after the police violence drew criticism. He said there had recently been an increase in cases where stun grenades were used against civilians not according to procedure, and therefore he would hold an urgent discussion to ensure they are used only in exceptional cases and in line with police regulations. He added that if their use is not limited to such cases, there will be no stun grenades in the police.
