LOS ANGELES – A Jewish man carrying an Israeli flag who fell to the ground in an altercation amid pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian street protests in California died on Monday. His death was determined to be a homicide, law enforcement and a Jewish organization said.
Paul Kessler, 69, died of blunt force head trauma a day after the altercation on Sunday, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that witnesses described the incident as battery.
The incident took place as emotions have been running high in the United States over the war between Israel and Hamas, with US officials and civil rights groups warning of increased threats against Jews, Muslims, and Arab Americans since fighting broke out on October 7. Acts of antisemitism have spiked in the month since the war began.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles labeled the incident as the fourth act of antisemitic violence in the Los Angeles area this year and the second since October 7.
Separate pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations occurred simultaneously on Sunday in the city of Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, the sheriff’s office said.
Content warning ⚠️ - an elderly Jewish man has been killed by a pro Palestinian protestor who hit him over the head with a megaphone at yesterday’s Israel rally.Sadly, the victim has passed away from internal bleeding.May his memory be a blessing and his attacker be… pic.twitter.com/41ZXNutwvK
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 7, 2023
Kessler was involved in a physical altercation between counter-protesters, the sheriff’s office said, citing witness accounts. These did not specify which side instigated the altercation.
“During the altercation, Kessler fell backwards and struck his head on the ground. Kessler was transported to an area hospital for advanced medical treatment. On November 6, 2023, Kessler succumbed to his injuries,” the statement said.
Rabbi Noah Farkas, the leader of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, citing conversations with local government officials, said a pro-Palestinian protester had struck the victim on the head with a megaphone.
A witness who did not want to be identified also told ABC7 News in Los Angeles that Kessler was hit with a megaphone.
“They were both on an even ground, and they were yelling at each other, and then the man brought his megaphone up and hit Paul, and Paul went down,” the witness said.
At a press conference held by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday morning, Sheriff Jim Fryhoff stated, “Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime and this is being investigated as a homicide.”
He stated that Kessler was at the rally as a pro-Israel supporter and the suspect was there as a pro-Palestinian supporter. The suspect has been identified as a 50-year-old man from Moorpark. His name has not been released. The suspect was interviewed but was not arrested. A search warrant was also issued for his home. However, Fryhoff said that the department could not discuss anything more about the search as the investigation was ongoing.
Fryhoff also stated that following multiple 911 calls on Sunday, a sergeant who arrived on the scene found Kessler lying on the ground. “Mr Kessler was conscious and responsive and the sergeant observed he was bleeding from the head and mouth.” Investigations revealed he had fallen backwards and hit his head.
Kessler remained conscious during transportation to a local hospital and was conscious upon arrival. He was listed in critical condition, eventually succumbing to his injuries.
Fryhoff also stated that the suspect was identified at the scene of the altercation and remained on the scene willingly. The suspected admitted to being involved in an altercation with Kessler but that he was one of the parties that called 911.
While several witnesses were interviewed, Fryhoff said they provided conflicting statements “about what the altercation and who the aggressor was.”
The county’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Christopher Young also spoke at the press conference. He certified Kessler’s death as due to “blunt force trauma” and the manner of death homicide. However, he stated that the homicide designation is not a medical one but a term issued by the district attorney’s office. “Homicide,” he said, “means that the death occurred at the hands of another person or by the actions of another person.”
Fryer stated, “We understand that the war in Israel and Gaza has led to an increase in hateful and threatening rhetoric and we want to assure the Muslim and Jewish communities that we stand with them during this difficult time. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting the rights and the safety of all members of our community regardless of their race, religious or ethnicity.’’
Fryhoff called on witnesses to come forward with any information about the altercation, especially people who may have recorded video from the incident.
Farkas, president and chief executive of the Jewish Federation, said, “This is what’s happening in America right now. There is a culture of fear and a culture of terror against the Jewish community happening.”
Kessler, who was carrying an Israeli flag at the demonstration, came from a family of philanthropists who were devastated by his death, Farkas added.
The Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group, also expressed grief over what it called a “tragic and shocking loss,” while also asking people to “refrain from jumping to conclusions” or “sensationalizing such a tragedy for political gains.”
“CAIR Los Angeles and the Muslim community stand with the Jewish community in rejecting any and all violence, antisemitism, Islamophobia , or incitement of hatred,” the statement said.