The police deployed an Advanced Observation Vehicle for Intelligence Gathering dubbed "The Raccoon" during the social protest inTel Aviv Saturday evening.
The Raccoon is considered one of the most advanced and sophisticated data collecting tools in the IDF's Field Intelligence Corps and is used to collect intelligence during combat.
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Thelarge field vehicle is equipped with advanced data collecting systems, including radars with night and day identification capabilities, long-range cameras and a monitoring system that can communicate with other Corps.
'Used for data gathering in combat.' The Raccoon
On Sunday morning, social justice activists arrived in Ashdod in order to help set up a tent city. One of the protest movement's leaders, Daphni Leef, told reporters that "its inconceivable that while citizens in the south don’t even have functioning shelters, Israel's defense budget is used for trying to thwart and frighten a non-violent civilian protest."
Another protester added: "It seems that Israel's existential threat this summer is students and kindergarten teachers that go out on the street to fight for education, housing and our welfare."
The security establishment uses the Raccoon vehicle for routine operations in the country's borders and in the West Bank. The intelligence gathering vehicle is also deployed during complex operations such as arrest of suspects, thwarting infiltrations or smuggling at the Egypt border and other cases.
The advantage of the vehicle is its ability to mobilize in open areas, and its use in a crowded place such as Tel Aviv is highly unusual.
The Tel Aviv District Police refused to comment.