Knesset Outlaws Use of Anti-Protest "Skunk Spray"

The Knesset overnight Monday approved legislation barring police from using “skunk,” the foul-smelling liquid sprayed from water cannon trucks, to disperse protesters.

The bill passed its final reading 11-0, in a rare show of cooperation between coalition and opposition lawmakers. It was submitted by United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, and was backed by opposition lawmakers including Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari and Labor MK Gilad Kariv.

Under the new law, police will be permitted to use only plain water in water cannons. The use of skunk or any other added liquid will be prohibited.

The legislation also requires police to record every use of water cannons and preserve the footage for three years. Anyone claiming injury from a water cannon will be allowed to request the video, which must be provided within seven days. Police may ask a court to block release of the footage if they argue that publication would harm an investigation or national security.

The bill’s explanatory notes said that although police procedures regulate the use of water cannons, demonstrators and bystanders have been harmed by their use over the years.

Skunk has often been used against Haredi anti-draft protesters and Arabs in Judea and Samaria, but in recent years it has also been used against anti-government demonstrators. The liquid leaves a strong stench on people, clothing, streets and buildings, and critics say it can disrupt ordinary life long after a protest ends.

The exact makeup of the substance has not been publicly disclosed. Some people exposed to it have reported skin irritation, shortness of breath and headaches. Its smell has also been known to force businesses and schools to close temporarily after nearby use.

Police guidelines already restrict the use of skunk, barring officers from spraying it into enclosed buildings or onto roofs and balconies. The rules also state that it should be used in dense or built-up areas only as a last resort.

Last July, the Jerusalem Municipality sent police a warning letter demanding that they stop using skunk to disperse protests in the city.

The substance is produced by Odortec, a private Israeli company that markets it as a safe, nonlethal crowd-control tool. The company says the liquid is nontoxic and environmentally friendly, though its own safety instructions say that if swallowed, a physician should decide whether the stomach needs to be emptied.