Haredi demonstration
Haredi demonstrationPolice Spokespersons Unit

Prosecutors filed an indictment against a policewoman who is accused of assaulting a haredi protestor in January. The move comes after police received condemnations from across the political spectrum for the alleged brutality against haredi protestors on Sunday.

The policewoman is accused of using excessive force against a haredi demonstrator at Jerusalem's Kikar HaShabbat, a central square in the haredi Meah Shearim neighborhood. The policewoman had been dispatched to the scene following reports of burning tires and garbage.

After seeing a haredi demonstrator shouting at another policewoman, she hit him three times in the head, grabbed his head and knocked him to the ground. After the incident, the policewoman recorded a false action report in order to conceal the attack, telling supervisors the protester attacked her and that she had only been defending herself.

The Police Investigative Unit (Mahash) also decided to try her commanding officer for using unlawful force.

The indictment comes after videos came to light documenting police officers using excessive force while breaking up a haredi anti-draft demonstration on Sunday. Clips showed police punching and kicking haredi demonstrators and throwing protestors to the ground unprovoked. One clip showed a police commander purposely breaking a demonstrator's glasses with no apparent provocation.