Wikipedia Edit War Erupts Over "Shameful Judgments" Case
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
A debate is raging on Hebrew Wikipedia over the potential deletion of the "Shameful Judgments" case entry, concerning lawyer Shira Spitz's 2020 detention. A temporary user account has been actively working to remove the article, sparking questions about who is behind the effort. Spitz was detained for remarking "Shameful Judgments" to then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, an incident that led to widespread criticism and a NIS 70,000 compensation payout for Spitz. The case has become a symbol of perceived overreach by law enforcement and a threat to freedom of expression.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A controversy is unfolding on Hebrew Wikipedia regarding the potential deletion of the "Shameful Judgments" case entry.
- The case involves lawyer Shira Spitz's 2020 detention after remarking "Shameful Judgments" to then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit.
- A temporary Wikipedia user account has been aggressively attempting to delete the article, raising suspicions about its motives.
- The deletion vote for the Wikipedia entry is scheduled to conclude today, Thursday.
- Spitz was awarded 70,000 shekels in compensation after the case was closed due to lack of evidence.
- The "Shameful Judgments" case has become a symbol of perceived overreach by law enforcement and a threat to freedom of expression.
A controversy is brewing on Hebrew Wikipedia over an attempt to delete the entry for the "Shameful Judgments" case, which concerns the 2020 detention of lawyer Shira Spitz. Spitz was taken for questioning on a Saturday after remarking "Shameful Judgments" to then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. A deletion vote on the Wikipedia entry, which began on October 1, is set to conclude today, Thursday, sparking online debate about who is behind the effort to remove the article and why.
The controversy gained traction after a user on X, identified as Hagai, shared evidence of a temporary Wikipedia user account. According to Hagai's post, this account was created and immediately began deleting significant portions of the "Shameful Judgments" entry, removing 21,983 bytes within a minute. The user then initiated a discussion on Wikipedia's talk page, asking how to delete an "unimportant" entry and questioning the motives of the user focused solely on its removal.
The "Shameful Judgments" case dates back to February 22, 2020, when Spitz, a religious woman, was detained and questioned by police on Shabbat for her brief comment to Mandelblit. She was investigated for harassing a public official, but the criminal case was eventually closed in October 2020 due to lack of evidence. The incident drew widespread criticism for the treatment of Spitz and the perceived infringement on freedom of expression. Even the then-Deputy Attorney General, Raz Nazri, stated the investigation should not have occurred.
Spitz later sued the police and prosecution, and in March 2023, she was awarded 70,000 shekels in compensation. It was revealed during the proceedings that Mandelblit himself was unaware of her detention and had not ordered it, with responsibility for the mishandling attributed to police officials.
The case has become a symbol for critics of the justice system, representing the power imbalance between citizens and law enforcement, and the fear that legitimate criticism of senior officials could lead to disproportionate police action. The fact that Spitz, a Sabbath observer, was detained on Shabbat for a minor remark made the incident particularly contentious and cemented the phrase "Shameful Judgments" in public discourse and protests against the legal system.