Israel Police snuff out riot to save Jerusalem from Jan. 6
Illustration: Sivan Schwam
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
The protesters lay down and pulled out “three-second glue,” intending to stick themselves to the floor at the entrance to the Knesset plenum hall. But what they hadn’t reckoned on was the Knesset Guard’s readiness. Instead of the usual pair of security guards, no fewer than 30 Knesset Guard personnel, well prepared for an Israeli version of January 6, were waiting at the entrance.
In a matter of seconds, they pounced, picking the protesters up by the arms and legs and forcibly removing them from the scene. Moments later, the floor was closed to everyone but MKs and others with entrance badges. Later that day, Chiko Edri, director-general of the Knesset and former head of the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv police districts, was able to brag, “We stood by the promises we made at the planning meetings. The Knesset won’t be the next [US] Capitol or Brazilian National Congress.”
Like the embassy of a foreign nation, the Israeli Knesset is its own separate jurisdiction. For an external policing force to be allowed into the compound, the signed approval of five figures would be required: the Knesset Speaker, the director-general of the Knesset, the Knesset legal advisor, and two Knesset Guard commanders.
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