תיעוד משטרתי של התקרית בקניון בטבריהדוברות המשטרה

A violent clash broke out at Big Fashion in the northern city of Tiberias, between a civilian refusing to don a mask and local police officers.

The incident began after police officers at the enclosed mall identified a man walking maskless with his wife. When they asked him to don a mask, he refused. Afterwards, they asked him to come with them, and he refused for a second time.

The incident then became a violent arrest, watched by the other mallgoers.

In footage from the event, the man is seen detained by the police officers, and some of the shoppers can be heard calling, "Shame on you, you're choking him!"

Israel Police responded: "Unfortunately, we are once again witness to attempts to slander police officers' activities, while using partial and tendentious footage which shows only the moments of the arrest, and not what happened prior, and what led to it."

"Earlier this evening, during a shift at a Tiberias shopping center, a police officer noticed a couple without a mask, approached them and asked them to identify themselves for the purpose of issuing a fine. As can be seen on the officer's bodycam, the husband refused to identify himself, ignored the repeated calls by the police officer, and began to leave the scene, while the officer followed him, and during the entire time repeatedly asked him to identify himself."

"Despite this, the suspect continued to refuse, and therefore he was told that he was being detained, except that the suspect opposed the detention as well, and therefore the officer told him that he was under arrest. At this stage as well, he continued to oppose, and the officer was left with no choice but to use force in order to arrest him. This is undoubtedly an unfortunate event which could have been prevented had the citizen cooperated, identified himself as required of him by law, and listened to the officers' instructions."