Los Angeles, California – President Joe Biden denounced pro-Palestine protesters outside a synagogue in Los Angeles, labeling their actions as “antisemitic and un-American.” The demonstration, organized against an Israeli real estate fair held at Adas Torah synagogue, escalated into violence with clashes erupting on the street. The incident, captured on video, showed protesters in keffiyehs shoving men wearing yarmulkes, with one man seen bleeding from the face.
Footage also revealed flags of the messianic wing of Chabad flying in the background, while a woman in a car made gun hand gestures and obscene gestures towards pro-Israel demonstrators. Police officers later approached the car with their guns drawn, leading to the eventual arrest of the individuals inside and the removal of a child from the vehicle.
Authorities made one arrest during the incident, with the individual charged for possessing a prohibited “spiked flag” at protests, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times. Despite the arrest, details about the person taken into custody were not provided by the police.
Demonstrators organized by Palestinian Youth Movement LA and Code Pink LA, a far-left anti-war group, gathered outside the Adas Torah synagogue around 11am on Sunday, with clashes erupting as they tried to block the entrance. One anti-Israel protester was recorded chanting, “There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”
President Biden expressed his dismay over the events outside the synagogue, stating, “Intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic, and un-American.” Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, also condemned the violence, emphasizing that targeting a house of worship is unacceptable and has no place in the state.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence as “abhorrent” and emphasized that the city will not tolerate antisemitism and violence. Rabbi Hertzel Illulian from the JEM Community Center in Beverly Hills highlighted the disparity in treatment towards Jews and Israel in comparison to other faiths.
The Jewish Federation Los Angeles confirmed awareness of the anti-Israel protest and assured the community of monitoring the situation to ensure safety. Anti-Israel protests have been increasing across the country following recent events, including an attack in October and Israel’s conflict with Hamas. In a tragic incident in November, a 69-year-old Jewish man lost his life during dueling demonstrations in the greater Los Angeles area.