Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yitzhak Meir Brim, on Thursday petitioned the Supreme Court, demanding that police cease using "skunk spray" to disperse protests in haredi areas.
The petition, submitted by attorneys Eytan Lehman and Yair Nehorai on behalf of Brim and dozens of haredi residents, argues that the use of the skunk spray has become frequent over the past year, with the liquid being sprayed on buildings, balconies, and playgrounds in narrow streets populated by families not involved in protests.
The petitioners are seeking an interim order to prohibit its use until official safety tests are conducted.
According to the petition, the substance has never been tested by the Health Ministry, Environmental Protection Ministry, or Standards Institute. Official documents presented indicate that Israel is the only country in the world using this liquid against its citizens.
A laboratory test by the Chemistry Institute at the Hebrew University, cited in the petition, found that the liquid contains substances that can cause respiratory irritation, nausea, and eye stinging. In some cases, nerve damage may occur, with children, the elderly, and women being particularly at high risk.
The petitioners also argue that its use is contrary to the police procedure from 2020, which prohibits spraying on buildings and requires a situational assessment before any use. In practice, dozens of instances of use have been documented in Haredi neighborhoods, even in cases without severe violence.
According to the petition, numerous official requests were sent to the police, including from the Jerusalem Municipality's legal advisor, but no response was received. The petitioners seek to declare the use unreasonable and dangerous, and demand its cessation until a comprehensive professional review is conducted.