Video shows officer apprehending 9 year old in Hebron, another officer kicking him; officials call the incident inexcusable, wrong.
By YAAKOV LAPPINBorder Police officers seen kicking Hebron child 370(photo credit: YoutTube / B'Tselem)
The Border Police launched an investigation into one of its officers after video footage surfaced showing him kicking a Palestinian child suspected of throwing rocks at police in Hebron.The video, taken on June 29 by a volunteer for B’Tselem – The Israel Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, shows one Border Police officer apprehending the boy, named as nine-year-old Abd al-Rahman Burkan, while the child shouts and lies down on the ground. A second policeman is then seen approaching the child and kicking him.The child is then released and is seen running away.The incident occurred near the Cave of the Patriarchs.“We will file a complaint against the officers with the Police Investigation Department,” B’Tselem said in a statement.Border Police sources said the organization viewed the conduct of the officer as inexcusable and wrong, adding that such actions were rare and unrepresentative of the force.The sources added that in recent weeks, there has been a large rise in the number of rock-throwing incidents in the Hebron area.Some in the Border Police suspect that cameramen get into position and start filming after children throw rocks at police. Irrespective of the rock-throwing, however, the sources believe there is no justification for the act captured on film.In an official statement, the Border Police denounced the conduct of officers who violate the organization’s values.“The commander of the Border Police [Yoram Halevi] ordered the creation of an investigation team to examine the incident immediately.The conclusions of the investigation will be released in the coming days,” the statement said.
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