Michael Shlissel, brother of gay parade murderer Yishai Shlissel, interviewed with Arutz Sheva regarding his arrest ahead of the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade.
Yishai Shlissel went on a stabbing spree at the 2015 Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, wounding 6 and killing 16 year-old Shira Banki. Before this year's gay pride parade, police raided the Shlissel home, arresting Michael and giving distancing orders to many members of the family.
Michael was arrested on suspicion of planning to help perpetrate a revenge attack, planned with Yishai, who remains in prison.
In a few words, he explains the mistake: he had been talking on the phone with Yishai, when "he requested that we hold a prayer protest during the gay pride parade, and I jokingly asked him if he wants to [protest through] violence, and Yishai clarified that he didn't intend violence.
"So I told him my opinion, which he already knew, that I am against violent protests, and when I finished the conversation, I told him that I am his 'Bar Plugta' (that I ideologically oppose him)."
Unfortunately for Michael, the Talmudic phrase raised the suspicions of eavesdropping police detectives, and led to his arrest. "The detective was obsessed with those words, and insisted that I explain to him what is a 'Bar Plugta.' I saw that he didn't know the term, so I explained that it means that anyone who argues on a particular topic, and one says 'permitted' while the other says 'forbidden,' they are 'Bar Plugtas'...the detective thought it was a code word between us."
"The police want to show that 'the dangerous Shlissel family' is under control, and I heard the police commenting among themselves that this would fix the damage of the blunder their commander made last year."
Michael has always rejected his brother's actions "I think it's insanity, it's not correct according to halacha (Jewish law), and of course everything must be done with a clear mind and in moderation, not in an inflammatory way.
The police have assassinated the character of our family, and done us a grave injustice. We feel very, very hurt, one the other hand, as a family, we completely supported each other, and we feel supported and good," Michael explained, after he was arrested and most of his family were given distancing orders from Jerusalem throughout this year's gay pride parade.
Attorney Itamar Ben Gvir, who is representing Shlissel, commented, "This the public relations of the Israel Police, under the direction of Commander Yoram Halevi. It's a shame that interrogators don't know Aramaic, and the meaning of 'Bar Plugta.' More haredim need to enter the police, and more from the national religious community."