Mideast War blowback

Post Reply New Topic

A Jewish man in his 60s died a day after he was injured in an altercation at a pro-Palestinian rally in Thousand Oaks, authorities say.

Paul Kessler died as a result of injuries he sustained at the event Sunday, Ventura County Sheriff's Office investigators say.

There were two competing rallies near Westlake and Thousand Oaks boulevards in favor of the Israeli and Palestinian sides of the current conflict, according to the sheriff's office.

It is believed Kessler was involved in an altercation with pro-Palestinian demonstrators when he was injured. He then fell and hit his head on the ground, according to the sheriff's office.

The nature of the altercation remains under investigation but some reports indicate that before he fell, Kessler was struck in the head with a megaphone by an individual with the pro-Palestinian event.

He was pronounced deceased on Monday.

The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office has determined Kessler's death to be a homicide caused by blunt force head injury.

"The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident and has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime," the VCSO said.

some reports indicate that before he fell, Kessler was struck in the head with a megaphone by an individual with the pro-Palestinian event.

A fight briefly broke out in Los Angeles' Pico-Robertson area, just a short distance from where "Wonderwoman" actress Gal Gadot hosted a screening of unedited Hamas attack videos.

The brief clash appeared to have involved protesters from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine sides. The screening from the Israel-born actress drew protests as the videos do not address the Palestinian death toll.

The title of the movie was "Bearing Witness to the October 7 Massacre," which was a compilation of the Oct. 7 attack videos.

I wonder if the fellow pro-Palestinians kept quiet about this individual's identity?

outhern California authorities investigating the death of a Jewish man following a fight with a pro-Palestinian demonstrator over the Israel-Hamas war haven’t determined whether a crime occurred and on Tuesday asked for the public’s help to unravel what happened.

Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said deputies determined that Paul Kessler, 69, who died early Monday at a hospital, had fallen backward and struck his head on the ground at a pro-Palestinian demonstration Sunday afternoon in Thousands Oaks, a suburb northwest of Los Angeles.

The pro-Palestinian demonstrator stayed at the scene and told deputies he had called 911, Fryhoff said.

Fryhoff said investigators were getting conflicting information from witnesses on both sides about what took place before the fall and had not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime. No arrests have been made, and officials were asking for people to provide video footage if they have any.

"What exactly transpired prior to Mr. Kessler falling backward isn’t crystal clear right now," Fryoff said, adding that it’s also unclear how many people were involved.

He cautioned people to not jump to conclusions, and "refrain from spreading rumors or spreading misinformation on social media or other platforms, as that can not only hinder our investigation, but it can cause unnecessary panic in our community."

Kessler was among a group of pro-Israel demonstrators who showed up at the event that was advertised as a peaceful gathering to support Palestinians, Fryhoff said. About 75 people in total were there and authorities patrolling the area saw no indication of violence 15 minutes before the confrontation, Fryhoff said.

Deputies found Kessler bleeding from the head and mouth and he was conscious as he was transported to the hospital, Fryhoff said. A pro-Palestinian demonstrator stayed to tell deputies he had been involved in the fight with Kessler and had called 911 after he fell, Fryhoff said.

The pro-Palestinian protester is 50 years old and resides in the nearby city of Moorpark, Fryhoff said, adding that officials were not releasing his name at this time. He was detained briefly for questioning and authorities have searched his home.

Ventura County Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Young said at the news conference Tuesday that an autopsy found Kessler died from a blunt force head trauma, and that the injuries were consistent with a fall. Kessler also had injuries that "could be consistent" with a blow to the face, but it’s unclear what caused his fall, Young said.

Kessler was injured on the left side of his face and back of his head. He had skull fractures and swelling and bruising of the brain, Young said. Kessler’s death has been listed as a homicide, a medical determination that does not indicate a crime was committed, Young said.

The sheriff was asked if a megaphone was used to strike Kessler.

"I’ve heard that, and I think the medical examiner has said the injuries on the face could have been caused by a megaphone," Fryoff said. "But I don’t have the information of what he had on him at the time."

Looks to me like the LAPD (and lots of other police departments around the U.S.A.) could maybe benefit from some lessons in crowd control from the NYPD.

In my experience, the NYPD has been very good at keeping competing groups of protesters away from each other, using double rows of barricades.

Alas, in any large protest, there will likely be at least one or two hot-heads who are at risk of getting violent, no matter how peaceful the intent of the organizers and the vast majority of protesters. Hence the need to keep counter-protestors a safe distance away from the main protest, so that everyone's First Amendment rights are protected.

(Admittedly, my favorable impressions of the NYPD in this regard might be out-of-date. It has been at least ten years since the last time I participated in a protest or counter-protest.)

There are 36,000 NYC police officers, There are 8,967 Los Angeles police officers. It is the third largest police department in the country. They have to police a much more spread out area then the NYPD.

Jewish and Israeli students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have warned in a new letter to university president Sally Kornbluth that radical anti-Zionism and intimidation of Jewish students on campus has become intolerable and reminiscent of Nazi Germany on the eve of the Holocaust.

The letter, shared on X/Twitter by MIT professor Retsef Levi, recounted an incident from Thursday in which students from the MIT Coalition Against Apartheid (CAA), a campus anti-Israel group, “physically prevented” them from attending class by forming a “blockade” of bodies in Lobby 7, a space inside the main entrance of the university. Non-students were invited to attend CAA’s demonstration, and together the entire group spent hours chanting “Intifada” — a term used to describe violent Palestinian uprisings against Israel — and declaring solidarity with Hamas.

“Instead of dispersing the mob or de-escalating the situation by rerouting all students from Lobby 7, Jewish students specifically were warned not to enter MIT’s front entrance due to a risk to their physical safety,” wrote the MIT Israel Alliance. “The onus to protect Jewish students should not be on the students themselves.”

Even after being threatened with suspension should they not disperse, the letter continued, CAA remained in Lobby 7, inviting more non-student protesters, which caused the university to issue through its emergency notification system a directive to “avoid” the area. The students added that a high-level official of MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning vowed, in defiance of official orders, to protect any CAA students who continued the demonstration.

The MIT Israel Alliance said that by the end of the day, Jewish students were told to enter the university through its back entrance and avoid the campus’ Hillel building.

“On the 9th of November, on the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, which marked the beginning of the Holocaust, Jews at MIT were told to enter campus from back entrances and not to stay in Hillel for fear of their physical safety,” the group concluded. “We are seeing history repeating itself and Jews on MIT’s campus are afraid.”

When asked for comment, an MIT spokesperson told The Algemeiner that the school is closed in observance of Veterans Day, but MIT President Sally Kornbluth addressed the incident late Thursday after the MIT Israel Alliance issued its letter. Her statement did not mention antisemitism.

Kornbluth added that protesters who remained after being told to leave will receive a non-academic suspension.

The University suspended on Friday the Columbia chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, cutting off the groups’ University funding and eligibility to hold on-campus events through the end of the fall term.

Gerald Rosberg, senior executive vice president of the University and chair of the Special Committee on Campus Safety, wrote to the organizations via email that the suspension is the result of “repeatedly violated University policies related to holding campus events.”

Rosberg cited Thursday’s walkout—which drew hundreds of affiliates and included a “die-in” on Low Plaza—as an “unauthorized event” that “proceeded despite warnings and included threatening rhetoric and intimidation.”

University event policy generally requires groups to apply for permits at least 10 days in advance of any demonstration or protest in order to hold events on school grounds.

“Lifting the suspension will be contingent on the two groups demonstrating a commitment to compliance with university policies and engaging in consultations at a group leadership level with university officials,” Rosberg wrote.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched peacefully through central London on Saturday, even as right-wing counter-protesters clashed with police, after a week of angry debate over whether to permit the event on a day when Britain honored its war dead.

The day unfolded in a backdrop of tensions fueled by Home Secretary Suella Braverman who earlier this week characterized pro-Palestinian demonstrations as “hate marches” and called for Saturday’s event to be blocked out of respect for Armistice Day events marking the end of World War I.

The skirmishes between police and counter-protesters carrying the Union flag of Great Britain and the red-and-white flag of England appeared to confirm the concerns that Braverman’s comments would attract right-wing elements looking for an excuse to confront the pro-Palestinian marchers.

London police arrested 82 people at one location to prevent a breach of the peace. The force said they were part of a group of counter-protesters trying to reach the main protest march. Another 10 arrests were made throughout the day, on charges including possession of a knife and attacking an emergency worker.

’’There are a number of groups within this counter-protest who have split off and seemed intent on seeking confrontation within the main Palestinian march,’' Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said in a video statement. “And the policing operation at the moment is being effective in preventing that happening.’'

He said the march was the largest in London since the start of the conflict. Police estimated that some 300,000 people took part, snaking their way through the city from Hyde Park to the U.S. Embassy about 3 miles (5 kilometers) away.

More than 2,000 officers, some called in from surrounding forces, are on the streets of the capital this weekend to make to ensure marchers obey the law and to prevent potential confrontations with counter protesters, the Metropolitan Police Service said.

Police are also taking steps to reassure the Jewish community, which has been targeted by a surge in antisemitic incidents since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israeli forces responded with strikes and sending troops into the Gaza Strip.

The law enforcement operation comes after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley resisted pressure from political leaders to ban the march.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Braverman have also expressed concern that the protests could spill over into Sunday, when King Charles III and the prime ministers of Commonwealth nations will lay wreaths at the national war memorial, known as the Cenotaph.

The commemoration events are “sacred” to Britain and should be a time for unity and “solemn reflection,” Sunak said in a statement before Saturday’s events got underway.

On Saturday, fights broke out near the Cenotaph between police and right-wing protesters chanting “England till I die.″ Police used batons to stop the protesters, and ceremonies at the memorial weren’t interrupted. Other clashes took place in other parts of the city, including Chinatown and near the Houses of Parliament.

Following the confrontation near the Cenotaph, police said the counter-protesters were not a single group and officers were tracking them as they moved away into other parts of London. If they attempted to attack the pro-Palestinian march, “we will use all the powers and tactics available to us to prevent that from happening,” police said.

Organizers of the pro-Palestinian demonstration say they have taken steps to ensure it doesn’t conflict with Armistice Day events. The march moved off just after midday, more than an hour after the nation observed a two-minute silence, following a route from Hyde Park to the U.S. Embassy that doesn’t go near the Cenotaph.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators flooded Manhattan for a second night and forced the closure of Grand Central Terminal on Friday, demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

The pro-Palestinian rally started at 5 p.m. Friday at Columbus Circle, with thousands marching through the streets demanding a ceasefire overseas.

Marchers then made their way to the New York Times building, vandalizing the front with a red tint before heading to Grand Central.

They surrounded the building, forcing its closure and disrupting LIRR and Metro-North service.

Police remained on the scene until the early morning hours of Saturday and arrested 6 people for disorderly conduct.

It's the latest in a series of near-nightly demonstrations since the start of the war saw thousands march through Midtown Manhattan to protest Israel's attacks on Gaza.

On Thursday, a small group of demonstrators led by media workers calling themselves "Writers Bloc" entered the atrium of the New Yotk Times building carrying a banner calling for a cease-fire.

They remained for over an hour, reading off the names of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza, including at least 36 journalists whose deaths have been confirmed since the war began. They scattered editions of a mock newspaper - "The New York War Crimes" - that charged the media with "complicity in laundering genocide" and called on The Times' editorial board to publicly back a cease-fire.

The gathering came after students from several schools also walked out of class to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Some remained in the streets for a protest that snarled traffic in Manhattan during rush hour and grew unruly at times.

The first hint of trouble came via Instagram. On the evening of Oct. 12, a terse message landed in the inbox of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, a student organization at the University of Texas at Austin, shortly before the start of one of its events.

“See you there, you f-----g terrorist,” it read.

The message didn’t faze the student leaders of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, or PSC. They knew their political positions made them a lightning rod on campus, and even more so in the wake of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, according to government figures.

But about an hour into the event — “Palestine 101, a rundown on Palestinian history, resistance and current context” — three men showed up outside the campus lecture hall where it was taking place.

They got in the faces of the student organizers, and one of the men repeatedly called them “f-----g terrorists,” according to cellphone video of the encounter.

The men said they were not there to cause violence. But as more students pulled out their phones, the taunts from the most vocal of the three took a more menacing turn.

“You can also film next week I’m in Israel, we’re killing f-----g Arabs, motherf-----s,” the man said, implying that he was a member of the Israeli army.

Shortly afterward, one of his cohorts boasted that he was a soldier in the Israeli military.

The confrontation lasted more than three minutes. At no point did the men become violent, but the students had to hold the door shut as one of them attempted to get into the room.

When the three men finally began to walk away, they threw onto the floor posters they had brought about kidnapped Israeli children. They also confronted students in the hallway who were cramming for a chemistry exam and had no involvement in the event.

They believe that the incident has laid bare a double standard that exists in how the university responds to acts of hate. The Muslim students and leaders point to the fact that the three provocateurs have faced no repercussions, and the university has not directly addressed the incident in any public statements or forums.

When swastikas were found spray painted outside a Jewish sorority house in September, the university immediately released a statement condemning the incident and the campus police department increased patrols in the area.

The UT Police Department also released a statement.

“Our preliminary investigation suggests that those engaged were not affiliated with the University and therefore could be subject to a criminal trespass violation,” the department said. “They have not been positively identified and the investigation is ongoing.”

That the investigation is active came as a surprise to the Palestine Solidarity Committee members.

Thousands of protesters in the US capital on Saturday called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid Israel's relentless bombing campaign, with some slamming President Joe Biden's support for Washington's top ally in the Middle East.

The rally, at which demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and wore the traditional keffiyeh scarf, was the largest protest in Washington since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7.

"Free, free Palestine," and "End the siege on Gaza now," the protesters shouted.

Other slogans targeted the US president: "Biden, Biden you can't hide, you signed off on genocide" and "We say no, Genocide Joe."

Jasmine Iman, 25, came from New York to attend the protest and said she will not vote for Biden in next year's presidential election because of his steadfast support for Israel.

If the election ends up being a choice between Biden and Trump, "I'll sit it out," Iman said

Pro-Palestinian protestors gathered near President Biden’s Delaware home to demand a cease-fire Saturday.

The post also featured a video of a crowd chanting, “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!”

Here is a November 9 New York Post story about some men who got arrested for ripping down hostage posters.

In this particular case, the posters were on private property, on a wall of a college dorm. And apparently the posters were permitted by college policies. Hence the posters themselves were not illegal, unlike the posters on light poles.

The hostage posters were in New York? Surely the hostage is somewhere in the area around Gaza?