Dramatic scenes from the Guatemalan police’s raid on the “Lev Tahor” cult compound on Shabbat were revealed on social media.
In the footage, the children are seen wearing the distinctive clothing of the cult members, jumping out of the compound through openings in the large gate. One of the cult members appears to be recording the police activity with his smartphone while desecrating Shabbat.
The adult cult members give instructions to the children in Yiddish: “There are police surrounding the whole compound. All the children should push the police at once. You are allowed to hit the police. They are not allowed to hit back. Climb up, get out from the top,” one of them shouted hoarsely.
Another man is heard telling the children: “You are allowed to hit the police, to push them, don’t be afraid of them, they can’t do anything to you.” The clip shows children attacking the policemen and pulling their caps. The man continued to exhort the children: “Kick them, kick them and crawl under their feet fast.”
Hundreds of police participated in the raid to rescue the children from the cult. The police arrived in minivans, patrol vehicles and minibuses which they used to transfer the children to protective custody.
What an ugly chapter in Jewish history! I hope Hashem has mercy on the children. I hope the innocent women get the opportunity to get therapy and job training or an education. They need the opportunity to decide if they want to escape and to rebuild their lives in freedom.
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