Jewish Man Assaulted in Los Angeles, Attackers Yelled “Free Palestine”
Los Angeles, CA – A Jewish man was assaulted Monday evening while leaving Adas Torah, an Orthodox synagogue in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles. The attacker reportedly yelled “free Palestine” during the assault, according to Israel Bachar, the Israeli consul general to the Pacific Southwest.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to a report of felony battery and a hate crime at the synagogue’s address at 9:51 p.m. On Monday. Rosario Cervantes, an LAPD spokeswoman, confirmed the report but did not confirm the victim’s religious affiliation or whether antisemitic remarks were made. The investigation is ongoing.
Details of the Assault
Video footage circulating on social media appears to show a man in a dark blue hoodie and hat exiting a van and attacking the victim, whose face is blurred, in an alleyway. The video depicts the victim being thrown to the ground, and the attacker then driving away.
David Englin, senior Los Angeles regional director at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), stated he spoke with the victim and confirmed the accuracy of the social media footage. Englin as well reported that the attacker shouted “free Palestine” at the victim.
Official Reactions
Israel Bachar, Israeli consul general to the Pacific Southwest, visited Adas Torah on Tuesday to pray, two days after the attack. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the violence as “abhorrent” and stated that blocking access to a place of worship is unacceptable. She has called for increased police patrols in the Pico-Robertson community and around places of worship citywide, and plans to meet with Police Chief Choi to discuss safety measures.
About Adas Torah
Adas Torah is an Orthodox synagogue located in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles. The synagogue publishes a semi-annual journal of Torah essays written by its members, titled Nitzachon: Adas Torah Journal of Torah Ideas.
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