Israeli Artist Zeev Engelmayer Arrested While Wearing Shoshke Costume at Netanyahu Protest

On September 5, artist Zeev Engelmayer was taken into custody by Israeli police during a protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He donned a padded suit that portrayed a nude female figure, representing his alter ego, Shoshke. Authorities mistakenly interpreted it as a depiction of Sara Netanyahu and accused him of sexual harassment. Engelmayer characterized his arrest as degrading, claiming he underwent both a strip search and a cavity search. The police contended they merely requested the removal of the costume, a claim Engelmayer disputes. Shoshke was first introduced in Engelmayer's 2016 publication and subsequently featured in a Tel Aviv exhibition. A police announcement referred to the incident as involving "a man dressed as a naked woman," despite the absence of any law regarding "sexual harassment of the public."