'Discrimination against women to be seen as crime'

Police chief Danino sends guidelines to commanders, officers ordering enforcement of zero-tolerance policy for discrimination.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Yochanan Danino 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Yochanan Danino 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Police commissioner Insp.-Gen. Yochanan Danino ordered his commanders and officers to enforce a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination against women on Monday, following a string of incidents involving the negative treatment of women by haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men in public areas in recent days.
According to guidelines sent by Danino to police commanders, any form of discrimination against women must be treated as a criminal offense or a public disorder incident.
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Danino accompanied the orders with a condemnation of the phenomenon, describing "any attempt to harm the rights of women" as unacceptable.
In recent days, media headlines have been dominated by incidents involving attempts by haredi men to discriminate against women, sparking public outrage.
The incidents included demands for a woman to move to the back of an Egged bus, and the forcing of women voters to leave a local elections station in Jerusalem in a haredi neighborhood.