Los Angeles, California – President Joe Biden has strongly criticized pro-Palestine demonstrators as “antisemitic and un-American” for their actions outside a synagogue in Los Angeles. The demonstration, organized against an Israeli real estate fair at the Adas Torah shul, turned violent as clashes erupted on Sunday, with individuals physically engaging with each other in the streets.
Video footage of the incident captures protesters wearing keffiyehs pushing individuals wearing yarmulkes, with one man seen bleeding from his face. The presence of flags from the messianic wing of Chabad can be observed in the background. In another clip, a woman gestures with gun hands and raises her middle fingers at pro-Israel protesters while leaning out of a car’s sunroof.
Authorities approached the woman’s SUV with guns drawn, leading her and a masked man to exit the vehicle and surrender. They were then taken into custody, with a child also being removed from the car. Police made a single arrest during the incident, charging the individual with possessing a prohibited item, described as a “spiked flag.”
The protests outside the Adas Torah synagogue were organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement LA and the far-left anti-war group Code Pink LA, according to reports. Tensions escalated when demonstrators tried to block the entrance to the synagogue, with at least one protester chanting, “There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”
President Biden condemned the actions, stating, “Intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic, and un-American.” Governor Gavin Newsom also expressed disapproval of the violence, emphasizing that there is no justification for targeting a place of worship with antisemitic hatred.
The Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, condemned the violence as “abhorrent” in a press release, asserting that the city will not tolerate antisemitism and violence. Rabbi Hertzel Illulian criticized the double standard, highlighting how such actions would not be accepted in front of other places of worship.
The Jewish Federation Los Angeles assured that they are monitoring the situation and working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the community. Anti-Israel protests have been on the rise in the aftermath of recent events, with tensions escalating across America. Tragically, incidents like the death of Paul Kessler, a 69-year-old man killed during dueling demonstrations in the greater Los Angeles area, further underscore the intensity of the current situation.