Police captain probed for abuse of power against protesters, Ben-Gvir hits out

Justice Ministry’s Police Investigation Department (PID) said in a statement on Tuesday that they had opened an investigation into Ch.-Supt. Amit Pollak of the Hadera police station on suspicion of abuse of power, assault, and obstruction of justice.

Pollak and other police officers are being investigated on suspicion of using violence without authority after they arrested a number of citizens who had placed a display model of a tank on top of a truck during preparations for a demonstration supposed to take place that evening near the Prime Minister's house in Caesarea, according to a PID statement.

Investigators seized Pollak's phone from his home after being unable to locate him at either the station or his home.

Pollak's lawyers condemned the search, telling Israeli media, "It is unthinkable that the PID would descend into the political arena, 'choosing a side' and investigating a police officer who has done his duty as expected of him and as he was instructed to do."

"It is even less conceivable that they would conduct a search at such a late hour as if he were a member of a criminal organization and not an outstanding and respected police officer."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to the decision by criticizing state investigators and praising the conduct of Pollak.

Ben-Gvir criticizes investigations of police officers

"The PID is doing everything to try to discourage police officers from fulfilling their job and their duty to act professionally," he told Israeli media. "Ch.-Supt. Polk is an outstanding police officer, and I give him and his officers my full backing."

Ben-Gvir then took aim at the State Attorney's Office, calling the investigation a politicization of the department, citing investigations against himself.

"The department is acting under the guidance of the attorney general, who also wants to file a case against me for 'incitement against the residents of Gaza,'" he said.

"The politicization of the department under the leadership of the ombudsman and the attorney general is very serious, and the time has come for the ombudsman to become an independent body that is not subject to the political duo [Gali] Barahav-Miara and Eisman."