A Border Police officer has been indicted for assaulting a journalist, the Justice Ministry’s Police Investigation Department (PID), which investigates allegations of police misconduct, reported Sunday.
On February 11, 2024, the police received reports of a terrorist attack inside Jerusalem’s Old City. A journalist by the name of “A.” arrived on the scene, and he was allowed to stand on a nearby street.
The police then received an order to block the entire area and remove civilians and journalists.
Border Police officers, under the command of Cmdr. Yazan Goaya from Maghar, asked A. to vacate the area. A. refused and attempted to return to the scene several times. Each time he did, he was physically pushed backward.
Officer taunts, assaults journalist
After repeated attempts by A., Goaya ran toward him and struck him in the upper body several times with his baton.
A. fell to the ground and landed on a construction fence behind him. Goaya continued hitting him and only stopped when other police officers pulled him away.
While A. was being treated by medics at the scene, Goaya pointed his baton at him and said, “You want more?” He then resumed hitting A. with his baton. A. suffered a broken left arm and bruises to his right arm and legs.