Almost half a million shekels: The police officer who waged a war of attrition against commenters

A police officer who clashed with protesters during the judicial overhaul filed defamation lawsuits against 30 citizens totaling nearly half a million shekels. A judge asked the Association for Civil Rights for its opinion on whether this constitutes a SLAPP suit.

Rav-Nagad Doron Ozery, a police officer who served as the operations coordinator at the Sderot station, became involved in confrontations with protesters during the judicial overhaul in July 2023. Following online criticism, in which he was called "mentally ill," "scum," and "villain," he filed six defamation lawsuits against 30 citizens totaling approximately 474,000 shekels. Some of the lawsuits have been decided: in one, he was awarded 43,000 shekels, and another ended in a settlement. In one proceeding, Judge Avi Shaliv unusually asked the Association for Civil Rights for its opinion on whether this is a SLAPP suit. The association stated that the multiplicity of lawsuits raises concerns about the use of legal proceedings to deter citizens from criticizing the police. Ozery's attorney, Adv. Yoni Gorno, rejected the claims and called them an attempt to legitimize shaming. The article presents both positions but does not include the defendants' responses.