Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Thursday ordered a man who was filmed aiming a handgun at haredi protesters during Wednesday’s car protest on Route 1 to be released to four days of house arrest. The release was made subject to restrictive conditions, including a ban on contacting anyone involved in the case.
During the hearing, the police representative said the suspect admitted the acts in questioning, but his version changed over time. He initially claimed the gun was pointed at the ground, then changed his account after being shown video in which the weapon appears aimed at the protesters. The officer said, “The danger here speaks for itself. Driving with a gun in your hand, held out and pointed toward protesters, is a dangerous act, to say the least.” He added that the suspect has no criminal record and there is no real concern that he will obstruct the investigation.
The defense argued that the suspect understood his conduct was unusual and that there had been no real danger. His lawyer said the gun had never been drawn from its holster, was not cocked, and the suspect did not put his finger on the trigger. “You can see this is a one-second event, of a person who maybe vents anger, maybe is desperate,” the lawyer said, adding that the weapon has already been taken away and that continued detention was unjustified.
The judge ruled that there was reasonable suspicion for the offense and said, “There is no doubt that a threat with a weapon creates great danger.” Still, he concluded house arrest was sufficient because the suspect has no criminal record, the gun has been seized, and there is no concern he will threaten anyone again with it. The judge also said the episode occurred “in a situation of tension and panic, when law enforcement does not provide a response,” and noted that blocking the road itself “creates a serious hazard, with significant danger to the public,” while stressing that this does not lessen the severity of the suspect’s alleged act. The suspect will remain under full house arrest until June 29.
