The arrest of the father and his three children was made last week in Haifa on the allegation that they had participated in rioting and rock throwing incidents.
Videos uploaded to social media show that when the police entered the house to make the arrest, they forced their way in and attacked the family members with batons, forcing several of them to the floor. The footage shows that the police continued to beat them even though they did not resist arrest.
According to the father and his sons, they had not been involved in the violence, and had only gone to the scene of the rioting to understand what was happening, returning home immediately afterwards. As they were returning home they were noticed by several Israel Police officers, who followed them and forced their way into the house to conduct the arrests.
At the hearing in the Magistrate's Court in Haifa on Sunday, the judge was presented with evidence that collaborated with the father's explanation of what had transpired and contradicted the police statement. The family was then released without any restrictions or limits, and the incident has been placed under review by the Police Investigations Department.
In a statement regarding the incident, case lawyer Yifat Cohen said: "Luckily, the suspects' home had cameras documenting that they only left their house a few minutes after the violent incident that took place near their home and that they had nothing to do with it."
"The violence used against them by the police is appropriate for dark regimes that have no place in a reformed country, especially when it comes to those who are innocent." Cohen concluded.
The events in Haifa were part of the violent riots and protests that have swept across the country in the last eight days. Originally concentrated in east Jerusalem, they have blazed across Lod, Acre, Ramle, Haifa, among other cities, leading to multiple people being injured, and over 750 arrests being made.