A young secular Israeli fresh out of IDF service went for a run in Jerusalem earlier this week and was allegedly beaten by haredi modesty squad members who kicked him, punched him and hit him with an iron chain.
Above: (file photo) Haredim throwing stones at police in Jerusalem in 2011
Haredi Modesty Squad Members Beat Secular Runner In Jerusalem
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Matan Hazan, a 21-year-old who recently completed his IDF service, wanted to run in Gan Sacher Park in Jerusalem. So Hazan did what seemed normal to him to do on a hot day, something he had done before: he ran shirtless through the streets of Jerusalem toward the park. Hazan had made this run often, and even when wearing a shirt he had sometimes been spit on and harassed by haredim as he crossed through a haredi neighborhood on the way to the park.
But what allegedly happened this time was much worse.
As the shirtless Hazan reached Rabbi Uziel Street he was attacked by three haredi modesty squad members who beat him with their fists and with an iron chain for the sin of running through ‘their’ neighborhood while immodestly dressed.
"This street is the only way I can get to Gan Sacher Park, and I run shirtless when it's hot. Every time I run I get to [Rabbi Uziel Street] and sometimes [haredim] spit [on me and] curse. I try to ignore it, I ran with headphones on, but I did not think it would come true brutal violence,” Hazan, who lives in the Holyland neighborhood, reportedly told Walla! News.
"On Sunday at 12:30 pm, I went out as usual to run toward the city center and moved [from the sidewalk] to the street. The moment I entered the street, a car clung to me and slowed its pace to conform with my running. The three haredim spoke to me from the [open car] windows and I made them a sign that I did not hear anything because of the headphones [I was wearing]. After a few meters I looked left [at the car, which was alongside me] and saw from the body language that they were cursing me. Later they also spat at me and I spat back. One of them got out, threw a full water bottle [at me] and I was sure [the incident] was over,” Hazan continued.
But it wasn’t over.
"After 30 seconds they overtook me with the car, blocked me, came out and started chasing after me. I tried to run but I could not. I threw the headphones away and I tried to defend myself,” Hazan continued.
One haredi man hit him with a chain while the other two punched and kicked him.
"In the end I got punched in the stomach and fell to the ground. For a long time they continued to beat me with their fists, kicks and blows from the chain while I curled up on the ground helpless and unable to respond,” Hazan said.
Hazan noted that haredi passersby did nothing to help him or stop the violence and that some people even encouraged his attackers. “Now he’s learning his lesson" and “certainly he won’t come back here again,” some haredi passersby said, according to Hazan.
"After [the haredim who were beating him] decided I'd taken enough [punishment], a haredi man came, helped me up and said he was ready to testify to the police about what happened,” Hazan said. He saw a police car, shouted for help, and the three haredim who beat Hazan fled the scene.
Jerusalem police told Walla! News that the incident is known to them and that there is an open investigation that is ongoing to locate the suspects.