Glaser Weil LLP and Sitrick And Company–two of the nation’s top law and public relations firms, respectively–have joined Arash and Benny Khorsandi of The Law Office of Arash Khorsandi and Michael Yadegaran of Avenue Law APC in representing a victim of the May 18 antisemitic attack in front of a Los Angeles restaurant pro bono.
According to a press release, the attack was perpetuated by a group of people waving Palestinian flags in front of their vehicles who then threw bottles at a group of people eating in the front of the Sushi Fumi restaurant in the Beverly Grove area. The group then attacked the diners after asking if they were Jewish. The legal team’s client, a Lebanese-Armenian Christian, defended his Jewish friends and, according to a press release, “was being beaten on the floor, and was quickly bumrushed by several members of the mob, and was also pepper sprayed. The client had to receive urgent medical care at a nearby hospital.” Two male suspects have been arrested since the attack.
“We are taking on this case pro bono to seek justice for our client who stood up against antisemitism even though he is not Jewish,” Julie Gerchik, Glaser Weil Litigation Partner, said in a statement. “We intend to send a message: The Jewish community will not be intimidated—we will stand up and stand strong, and we will use the legal system to prosecute these hate crimes and fight antisemitism wherever it raises its ugly head.”
Michael Sitrick, Founder and Chair of Sitrick and Company, said in a statement, “The past several months have seen an extremely troubling outbreak of antisemitic threats and violence across the United States. This must not and cannot be ignored.
“This rising wave of bigotry against Jews must be confronted and the perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes—like all hate crimes—must be prosecuted.”
After the attack, the Lebanese-Armenian victim talked to Journal writer Tabby Refael, identifying himself only as “Mher.” Mher told Refael, “The way those guys approached us … throwing glasses at us … if you’re in a war zone, that’s a different story. But we were having dinner. We weren’t harming them. Why were they kicking us in the head? I had to do something.”
He added that he “told one news source that I don’t get the point of people like those attackers. If they left another country to come here, didn’t they come to Los Angeles for a chance at a brighter future? I approach people without seeing religion or color. I want peace everywhere, not only in Israel and Palestine.”
