LA Deputy Police Chief Says Recent Antisemitic Attacks Likely Connected

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Deputy Police Chief Dominic Choi said in a May 20 press conference that two recent antisemitic incidents in Los Angeles are likely connected. According to the Associated Press (AP), the press conference discussed the May 18 assault of two Jewish men by members of a Palestinian car caravan as well as an Orthodox Jewish man being chased by two cars with Palestinian flags on the evening of May 17. “We do believe that these two incidents are related, by some evidence that’s available,” Choi said. He also said that the LAPD “has a zero-tolerance policy for hate incidents and hate crimes.”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during the press conference, “We condemn as a city and as Americans the organized antisemitic attack in Beverly Grove in Tuesday night and on Monday night as well. We will meet those incidents with a full force of law.”

Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper said at the press conference that the attacks are being committed “by latter day Nazis.”

A witness to the assault told CNN that when the May 19 assault happened, members of the Palestinian car caravan were shouting “‘dirty Jew’ and ‘Israel kills children’ and ‘death to Israel.’” The assault occurred in front of the Sushi Fumi restaurant in the Beverly Grove area.

The incidents have occurred amidst a recent escalation between Israel and Hamas; the two sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 20.