Channels

Vandalism at Abu Kabir
Photo: Ronny Schitzer
Frida Wiesel
Photo: Ronny Schitzer

Haredim ransack Forensics Institute

(VIDEO) Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men riot in Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv in protest of autopsy carried out on body of haredi woman

(VIDEO) Staff from the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir sifted through the damage caused to their workplace by rioting ultra-Orthodox youths protesting the autopsy performed an a haredi woman’s body.

 

But staff members vowed not to me intimidated by "pure vandalism."

 

Institute for Forensic Medicine; J’lem riots (Footage: Channel 2)

 

"Even in the institute's darkest days, there wasn't an event this big. They wrecked the entire hall, broke expensive equipment, and destroyed (institute director) Yehuda Hiss' room. The public reaction to the articles on the pathological institute was an abandonment of Hiss," said Dr. Benny Davidson, manager of the institute and of Assaf Harofeh hospital.

 

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men caused disturbances in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Krayot (in the Haifa area), in protest at the autopsy carried out on the body of Frida Wiesel, an ultra-Orthodox woman from Kiryat Ata whose body was found in her apartment. It is believed that she was murdered in the course of a robbery.

 

Police said that an autopsy would be carried out after receiving authorization from a court, but the ultra-Orthodox community rushed to protest the autopsy, saying that it was violating the Jewish commandment of respecting the dead.

 

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men rioted in the Abu Kabir institute in which the autopsy was carried out.

 

'We couldn't protect you'

 

According to Davidson, "the damage was simply incredible. This is pure vandalism and the feeling is that it was done in a planned way. Around 30 yeshiva students jumped over the fence. They wondered around the institute, going in and out of rooms.

 

“After receiving a phone call, they went into the room of Yehuda Hiss, the chief pathologist, turning it upside down and wrecking it. They destroyed the lecture hall. They expensive broke light and sound equipment, microscopes, and other lab equipment. I'm very worried and I hope this is not how things will go from now."

 

Davidson turned to the security branch of the Ministry of Health and asked for personal security services to protect Hiss and his home, as well as an increase of security of medical equipment.

 

The institute's staff was supposed to go on an organized trip on Wednesday.

 

"They wanted to cancel the trip but I told them there was no reason; that would be surrendering to vandalism," said Davidson.

 

Some 60 people took part in Wiesel’s funeral. Her son, Yitzhak, expressed his devastation at the funeral, and said, "We could not protect as we should have," adding that he hoped the murderer would be apprehended quickly.

 

Hagai Einav, Ahiya Raved, and Meital Yasur Beit-Or contributed to this report 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.31.06, 22:12
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment