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Ben-Gvir and Chompy at court. Dog to testify?
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Rightist's dog takes on police

Right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir suing two policemen for falsely arresting him, pointing gun at his dog. Judge summons canine Chompy to attend hearing

Surprise witness: The Small Claims Court in Jerusalem have summoned for a hearing Monday an unprecedented participant: Chompy, the dog of right-wing activists Itamar Ben-Gvir.

 

Chompy was summoned to attend a hearing over the civil suit his owner filed against two Samaria and Judea District policemen who he claims falsely arrested him and pointed a loaded gun at his dog. Ben-Gvir is suing the police for NIS 16,000 (roughly USD 3,600) in compensations.

 

According to Ben-Gvir, who filed the lawsuit about six months ago, on October 6, 2005, while he was walking his dog at the Givat Haavot neighborhood in Hebron, he encountered a local policeman. Chompy the dog started barking at the officer, and the man in response drew his gun at the canine and said, "if the dog doesn't stop barking, I'll shoot him and you."

 

Ben-Gvir claims he had asked the policeman to provide him with his personal details, but the officer refused to do so and left the scene. Some twenty minutes later, the lawsuit states, five policemen arrived at the extreme rightist's house and arrested him on suspicion he had threatened the officer, saying that "if someone hurts Chompy, I'll hurt you," and that he was walking his dog without a muzzle.

 

Ben-Gvir was interrogated by the police during the night, and released in the morning.

 

According to the activist, "the Hebron police is constantly harassing members of the Jewish community in Hebron, and me in particular. I am convinced that if my name wasn't Itamar Ben-Gvir they wouldn't have detained me for questioning."

 

"At this hour I'm coordinating my story with my dog, but it's not inevitable that Chompy will exercise his right to silence at court," he jokingly added.

 

Chompy himself was unavailable for comment.

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.12.06, 08:16
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