MOSHE HILL OPINION COLUMNS JUNE 26 2024
Videos emerged this past weekend of brawls and fights in the streets of Pico-Robertson, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Los Angeles. Pro-Hamas protesters gathered outside of the Adas Torah synagogue, where pro-Israel counter-protesters showed up to defend their neighborhood. This led to a volatile encounter, marked by violent altercations and heated exchanges, continuing the escalation from rhetoric to violence by people who have been screaming for nearly a year, “Long Live the Intifada.”
The videos are harrowing, with one side waving American, Israeli, and Mashiach flags, and the other, with their faces covered in keffiyehs, waving Palestinian flags. People were beating each other with flag poles, skateboards, or their bare hands, while others were either filming in the background or trying to separate fighters. Vile profanity, in addition to genocidal slogans, were shouted at the Jews standing outside their synagogue.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to two concurrent protests in the Pico-Robertson area, located just south of Beverly Hills. Footage from the scene shows officers pushing pro-Palestinian protesters away from the synagogue entrance, as chants of “Free, free Palestine – from the river to the sea,” and “Long live intifada” filled the air. Police were seen trying to keep the crowds separate, but there were too many protesters and not enough cops to keep everyone safe.
LA Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence, stating unequivocally, “Los Angeles will not be a harbor for anti-Semitism and violence. Those responsible for either will be found and held accountable.” She announced plans for a community meeting involving Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, Rabbi Noah Farkas of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles, and law enforcement leaders to discuss steps forward.
Pico-Robertson is a vibrant and close-knit Jewish community known for its numerous synagogues, kosher restaurants, and Jewish educational institutions. This area has long been a haven for Jewish life and culture in Los Angeles. The recent clashes have shaken the community, leaving many residents concerned for their safety.
Rabbi Hertzel Illulian of the JEM Community Center in Beverly Hills expressed his dismay at the violence, stating, “Today’s violence in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood…was abhorrent, and blocking access to a place of worship is unacceptable.” He also highlighted a perceived double standard in how violence against Jews and Israeli supporters is often treated.
It goes without saying that this did not become a national news story, because it happened to Jews. The New York Times was more interested in the overturning of Roe v. Wade two years ago, CNN and MSNBC are previewing the Trump-Biden debate, and the Washington Post focused on independent voters for this coming election.
In a game that’s played all too often, reverse the identity politics and guess the reactions. If a group of Jews went to a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan, to protest Hamas and fights broke out, this would absolutely be the biggest news in the country. The people who lump in “Islamophobia” every time a Jew is attacked would be running through the streets demanding that something must be done. It would be a national news story for weeks. Since it’s Jews, it’s treated as “local news.”
Let’s call this for what it is: A pogrom against Jews. A synagogue was targeted, Jews were attacked and fought back. This is not a surprising turn of events. We’ve seen roads blocked, windows smashed, and people killed. Even a Congressional primary turned into a “look at the Jews with their money,” with Jamaal Bowman blaming AIPAC for George Latimer’s challenge against him. This is escalating before our very eyes. No one seems to want to do anything about it, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jews are taking their safety into their own hands.
