As part of the celebrations of Christmas and what is known as the “Holiday of Holidays,” held in the historic Wadi Nisnas neighborhood in Haifa, police forces raided a music education institute on Allenby Street, forcibly dispersed the holiday celebrations, assaulted celebrants with violence, confiscated equipment, and arrested three individuals, among them “Santa Claus,” a DJ, and a street vendor.
Furthermore, the police encroached upon culture and the arts, as police and municipal inspectors harassed and interfered with a traditional dabke dance performed by a youth troupe. They entered the area on their motorcycles, showcasing their “power,” and demanded that the dancing stop.
The arrests took place in the middle of the street, in full view of all the celebrants and the families of those detained. Police officers violently assaulted young men at Emil Habibi Circle, severely beating one of the detainees at the roundabout and causing him a shoulder injury.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that police officers told them, “We will prevent you from celebrating so that we can celebrate with our families next week,” referring to the anticipated second days of the holiday on the 26th and 27th of the month.
The released detainees stated in their testimonies to the Mossawa Center for Civil Rights, which is following the case, that police officers continued to beat them during their arrest inside the patrol vehicles. They were transferred in the early hours of Sunday morning to Kishon Detention Center, after being denied any rest throughout the night. Around midday, they were brought before a judge at the Magistrate’s Court, who ordered their release.
Following their release, the detainees sought medical treatment.
For his part, Mr. Ghassan Harb, Director of the Nirooz Music Institute, which was subjected to the assault, confirmed that police officers stormed the school and disrupted a private event without any prior reason or justification.
The Mossawa Center will submit complaints to the Police Internal Investigations Department and to the Haifa Municipality to examine the incident.
