Detention of Jewish Man Over Kippah Sparks Controversy in Israel

On April 23, 2026, Alex Sinclair, a 53-year-old author and adjunct lecturer at the Hebrew University, was detained by Israeli police in Modiin for wearing a kippah that featured both an Israeli and a Palestinian flag. Sinclair reported that while he was working at a café, a man confronted him, claiming that his kippah was illegal. Following this, police arrived, detained him, and confiscated the kippah, later returning it with the Palestinian flag cut out. Sinclair described the experience as distressing, stating he was locked in a cell without access to water or a phone for approximately 20 minutes.

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The incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing tensions regarding the display of Palestinian symbols in Israel. In 2023, Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right Minister of National Security, directed police to remove Palestinian flags, a move criticized by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) as illegal. While displaying a Palestinian flag is not explicitly against the law, authorities can restrict it if deemed a threat to public order.

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Israeli police acknowledged the incident but did not address Sinclair's claims regarding the destruction of his kippah. They stated that they acted on a report about a man wearing a kippah with a Palestinian flag and that Sinclair was released after a "clarification process." Sinclair has since filed a complaint with the Department for Internal Police Investigations, alleging unlawful detention and damage to his property.

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Sinclair expressed deep concern over the implications of his detention, likening the police's actions to those of "fascist regimes." He emphasized the importance of his Jewish identity and the significance of the kippah, stating, “It’s hard not to feel worried and anxious and frankly devastated that this is the direction that Israel is moving in.” His sentiments reflect broader anxieties among some citizens regarding the increasing restrictions on political expression and identity in Israel.

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• “Take off your belt. Face the wall, hands against the wall. They frisked me. Then they locked me in the cell, on my own, no water, no phone, no idea of what was going on or what the process would be,” — Alex Sinclair

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• “She’d taken my possession, a religious ritual object, something that is very dear to my heart, and destroyed it.” — Alex Sinclair

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• “ "It’s hard not to feel distressed that the police can just come and pull me away from a café in the middle of Modiin because they don’t like my politics.” — Alex Sinclair

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Sinclair's complaint against the police is currently under review by the Internal Police Investigations Department, which investigates allegations of police misconduct. The outcome of this investigation may have implications for how similar cases are handled in the future, particularly regarding the display of political symbols in Israel.

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