Court Acquits Yishai Hadas of Assault, Convicts Him of Threats

Six years after confrontations at the Balfour protests, a court acquitted anti-Netanyahu protest activist Yishai Hadas of assaulting Likud activist Rami Ben Yehuda and of conduct liable to disturb public peace. The judge convicted Hadas of attempted intentional property damage for taking and throwing Ben Yehuda’s loudspeaker, finding that his aim was to stop its use even though it was not broken. Hadas was also convicted of criminal threats over a later remark about breaking another complainant’s leg. The court said the videos did not capture the start of the first confrontation and the witness evidence could not establish assault beyond reasonable doubt. Sentencing arguments are due in about three months.