"It looked like a break-in - but it was actually police": Residents stunned by the state of their home after a search
Police arrived with a search warrant at the home of Ihab Mansour in the Old City of Acre. The homeowners were not present, and his 80-year-old mother was brought from a neighboring house to witness the search. The family claims significant damage was caused to the property and security cameras were ripped out. Nothing was seized during the operation.
On Tuesday, around 09:50, police arrived at the home of Ihab Mansour in the Old City of Acre with a search warrant. At the time, Mansour and his family members were not on the premises. Mansour's mother, who is approximately 80 years old and does not speak Hebrew, was in a neighboring house. According to the family, police brought her to the scene to serve as a witness, yet the search warrant and its contents were never presented to her.
Upon entering the two-story house, officers began the search. The family alleges that during the operation, the contents of the house were overturned, items were displaced, and property damage was inflicted. A seven-year-old child also resides in the home, and the family claims his room was left in a state of severe disarray, rendering it unfit for living. Furthermore, the security cameras installed in the house were removed; the complaint alleges they were ripped out, causing damage to the security system. The search concluded with no findings, and nothing was seized.
Advocate Lior Davidi, representing Ihab Mansour and his mother, has filed a formal complaint with the Police Public Complaints Unit.
"A search was conducted in my client's home during which the police sowed destruction in every part of the house without any justified reason. My client's mother, an 80-year-old woman who does not speak Hebrew, was taken to serve as the sole witness, while the warrant was not even presented to her. To this moment, it remains unclear what the basis for the search was. A seven-year-old minor lives in the house, and his room was left like the site of a pogrom, unfit for living. My client has a criminal record, but that does not justify such conduct by public servants whose role is to uphold the law and set an example," Davidi stated.
The police responded:
"This concerns a search warrant signed by the court as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected criminal offenses. Contrary to the claims, the search was carried out legally and in accordance with requirements, including the presentation of the warrant and a comprehensive explanation of its contents, while ensuring that a witness was present for the search process step by step."
