David Ezra was released on Wednesday from custody under third-party bail and a ban on approaching the complainants, after being arrested on suspicion of three assaults in recent months in southern Tel Aviv. The case began after multiple women complained that he had knocked them down on city streets, and the investigation was opened following Walla’s publication of footage and testimonies that led to his arrest on June 20.
In one video, Ezra is seen moving toward a woman walking on the street, stepping into her path and hitting her forcefully with his body. The woman is thrown to the ground, while the suspect remains at the scene for several seconds and presents the incident as an accidental bump. Police suspect he attacked women on two different occasions on June 18 and in another case in May, causing one of the complainants physical injury.
So far, three complaints have been filed against him. During the investigation, Ezra was sent for a psychiatric evaluation and was found fit to stand investigation. He was questioned twice and, in his statements, linked himself to two incidents captured by security cameras, but denied that he acted intentionally.
He told investigators, “I did not bump into them on purpose, it was by accident.” Police asked a court yesterday to extend his detention by six more days, citing danger to the public and concern that he could obstruct the investigation. The court accepted the request only in part and extended his detention until today. Police also tried to arrange confrontations between Ezra and the complainants as part of the inquiry, which is still ongoing.
