MONTHS LATER, FEW CHARGES FOR UCLA attacks, NO new charges FOR PICO-ROBERTSON VIOLENCE

On June 23, Adas Torah Synagogue in Los Angeles hosted a real estate event that promised to sell land in both Israel and occupied territory in the West Bank. A protest at the synagogue devolved into numerous incidents of violence. What began as a back-and-forth of words between sides quickly became violent and ended with a pro-Israel mob chasing pro-Palestinian protestors through the neighborhood streets and attacking journalists. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker, it was the “highest number of attacks on the press by private individuals” since the January 6th, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Some of those who participated in the violence at Adas Torah also participated in the violent storming of the pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California Los Angeles two months prior. As of this writing, only two of the dozens of attackers were charged for their role in the UCLA violence. None of the attackers at Adas Torah have been charged.

Despite multiple journalists and outlets, including LCRW, identifying attackers at UCLA’s encampment attacks, there were no arrests for weeks. Edan On, an 18 year old high school student who struck multiple protesters with a large pole was arrested three weeks later. Despite wearing a white mask, he was identified by CNN’s investigative team. On’s charges were rejected by the Los Angeles District Attorney, but lesser charges could still be handed down by the City Attorney if they so choose. Months later, the City Attorney has not filed. Eyal Shalom and Malachi Joshua Marlan-Librett have been arrested, and there are two additional warrants which have not been executed as of writing. 

Adas Torah is located within Pico-Robertson, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood within Los Angeles’ Westside. The intersection in front of Adas Torah is called “Schneerson Square,” named after Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. The neighborhood largely identifies with Judaism in both demographics and identity: including more than 30 kosher restaurants and a large number of synagogues. 

Pico-Robertson has seen its share of antisemitic hate crimes in recent years. Less than a year earlier, in February 2023—and just blocks away from the protest—there were two shootings. The gunman had previously shared literature by the antisemitic troll group Goyim Defense League with former UCLA dentistry classmates and admitted he’d chosen his victims because they were wearing clothes associated with Judaism. He was sentenced to 35 years in October.

The real estate sale event was organized at Adas Torah Synagogue by My Home In Israel, an organization that has held similar events across the country with occasional pushback. Previously, the most notable protest was in Teaneck, NJ. My Home In Israel is a real estate firm that specializes in sales of real estate in Israel to American Jews. The company’s online listings showcase Israeli properties with prices ranging from $435,000 to $4.1 million. According to their website, the majority of these homes are situated within Israel’s pre-1967 borders, commonly known as the Green Line. The company’s website has featured at least one property for sale in Efrat, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

A July 19 declaration by the United Nations’ International Court of Justice determined Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, as well as Gaza Strip is illegal under international law. The United States, a staunch ally of Israel, recently affirmed that settlements in Gaza and the West Bank are “inconsistent with international law.” Israel disputes this ruling.

The flier for the real estate auction advertised “all the best Anglo neighborhoods in Israel,” referring to areas where English is commonly spoken.

A few days before the auction in Pico-Robertson, My Home In Israel sponsored a similar event at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue in Valley Village. A small demonstration and counter-demonstration ensued with both sides shouting at each other via megaphones.

Pro-Palestinian groups like Code Pink and The Palestinian Youth Movement called for the Adas Torah protest beforehand. Word of the protest quickly spread among pro-Palestinian social media networks. The call for demonstrators was largely done through a flier that read “OUR LAND IS NOT FOR SALE.”

Protesters against the real estate event began arriving at Adas Torah Synagogue just before noon. Already present was a large amount of security and several pro-Israel counter-protesters. By 12:30 p.m., hundreds of pro-Israel counter-protesters had arrived in the area. Intermixed amongst both crowds were supporters who arrived equipped with flags, megaphones and weapons.

Jay Ulfelder of the Nonviolent Action Lab at Harvard’s Ash Center monitored the event.

“For the past several years, I’ve spent hours daily watching videos and reading reports from protests across the U.S., and two of the most violent events I’ve seen since 2020 have been mass attacks on pro-Palestinian protesters in LA: UCLA on 4/30, now [Pico-Robertson] yesterday,” Ulfelder said on Twitter. 

Within the pro-Palestine group were anti-Zionist Jewish people with signs that said “Jews against land theft” and “Israeli Jew against land theft.”.

Occasionally, controversial Jewish neighborhood security organizations like LA Shmira and Magen Am attempted with little success to prevent the two sides from mixing. They were also present to provide additional security for both the neighborhood and the synagogue. In doing so, they were taunted from both sides at various points throughout the day.

LA Shmira was founded in 2009, and their visibility in Pico-Robertson increased after the 2023 antisemitic shootings and their neighborhood-centric patrol often arrives at the scene of emergencies before city response services do.

Throughout the day, pro-Israel demonstrators repeatedly shouted anti-Arab slurs and hate speech during the violence. There were also incidents by them of anti-Black, anti-woman, anti-Asian and anti-LGBTQ hate speech. At least one pro-Palestinian demonstrator taunted the pro-Israel group using a slur for LGBTQ people and threats of sexual violence. There were many incidents of pro-Israel demonstrators telling pro-Palestinian protestors to remove their masks. Despite this, some within the pro-Israel group were also masked in gaiters and balaclavas. Many in the pro-Palestine movement have worn face coverings; one demonstrator told LCRW that one factor leading into this were previous doxing campaigns by right wing Israeli groups.

LCRW erected a timeline of the events that day, highlighting the violence as it escalated. 

Two of our reporters were among the first on-site. LCRW reporter Kate Burns arrived at 11:30am; at that time only security guards hired by Adas Torah were present and an occasional car passed with an Israel flag being flown from the window. Within five minutes of Burns’ arrival, the hired security went out of their way to film her face, even asking her to remove her COVID-19 mask — which she wears for safety as a cancer survivor with no immune system. Even after she advised them that she was an accredited member of the press, they continued to film and attempt to intimidate.

The other LCRW reporter, Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, was harassed nearly immediately upon arriving around 11:45am. The owner of a nearby coffee shop was vocally pondering closing, as he’d already been warned the street could potentially be blocked off.

An early wave of pro-Palestinian protesters arriving were told by LAPD Sergeant Scott Alpert to remain across the street. Several of them attempted to negotiate with the officers while others made their way closer to the synagogue only to be confronted by a small group of counter-protesters.

Sergeant Alpert was previously photographed with right-wing podcaster Adam King. King hosts a podcast on Banned.TV, a media outlet sponsored by InfoWars. King is also a former member of LA Shmia and currently runs another LA volunteer security group called Magivim. When LCRW reporter Sean Beckner-Carmitchel reached out for a previous article asking about their connections, King replied an hour later via social media asking, “so you are digging around LAPD looking for information on me?”

Alpert was seen numerous times directing LAPD Officers’ actions during the protest. On at least one occasion, he temporarily refused to allow press to enter into an ad hoc media viewing area the LAPD had created.

Rony Mishiyev and Harim Uziel were among those confronting pro-Palestinian protesters as they arrived. Uziel goes by “the hardcore American patriot” on social media and was a co-organizer for the 2020 “Beverly Hills Freedom Rally,” an occasionally violent recurring pro-Trump rally which hosted dozens of people who participated in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Insurrection. The rally also repeatedly featured Proud Boys members. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Uziel has been booted from at least two commercial flights and his real last name is likely Vargas. Furthermore, according to the Los Angeles Times, he was detained at gunpoint in 2017 after driving a man who had brandished a handgun during an argument a block away from a city council meeting they had both attended.

Rony Mishiyev, who raps under the pseudonym “Judah Fire,” posted the identities of several Los Angeles reporters to his Instagram, calling them “associated with Antifa.” Mishiyev previously participated in the hours-long attack on UCLA’s pro-Palestinian encampment while dancing and chanting. He brandished pepper spray and deployed it on the camp at least once; at Adas Torah, he had a larger canister, which he deployed twice. 

As the pro-Palestinian protesters arrived, they made their way to the front of the synagogue, lining up and linking arms. Pro-Israel supporters stood, alongside security, behind them and used a megaphone and speaker system. 

“Society still has rules, get away from our Shuls,” stated one man wearing a white shirt. He also called the protestors both Nazis and communists. 

Others in the pro-Israel crowd chanted “am yisrael chai.” Meaning “the people of Israel live,” in Hebrew, the phrase was initially featured in songbooks from as early as 1895. Gaining popularity as an anthem during the student struggle for Jewish liberation in the Soviet Union, it’s become a common slogan in support for Israel today.

The police quickly, and aggressively, pushed pro-Palestinian protestors away from the entrance as Pro-Israel supporters danced, sang, and applauded. While being pushed back, pro-Palestinian protestors chanted “we’re not leaving,” “free Palestine,” “Israel is a terrorist state,” and “Zionism has got to go.” One protester picked up a bodycam that an LAPD Officer dropped. For this act, he was grabbed by his backpack by the police, only to be let go after he placed the camera on a truck belonging to Magen Am.

LAPD then pushed both groups from the synagogue entrance, forcing them onto Pico Boulevard and into a shared space. Both groups appeared noticeably tense and, as the two delved into a back and forth of threats, traffic quickly became blocked. While the taunting and threats continued, the pro-Israeli crowd broke into chants of “Am Yisrael Chai” while music blasted loudly through speakers.

At one point, a group of people surrounded an elderly-looking pro-Palestinian man, yelling and attempting to hit a sign out of his hand. That same group would, shortly thereafter, surround a Pro-Palestinian woman in a keffiyeh wearing a red Palestine shirt. She was pushed and surrounded, as the pro-Israel crowd began draping her with both Israeli and Israeli Defence Force flags. Within the scuffle, a pro-Israel protester threatened to kill a pro-Palestine demonstrator.

During that confrontation someone threw an egg which hit the Pro-Palestinian demonstrator. In response, she tried to grab another woman’s Israeli flag and a fight broke out. As it continued, a pro-Palestinian demonstrator deployed pepper spray. When the pro-Palestinan crowd retreated to the sidewalk, the pro-Israeli crowd rushed them. More bear spray was deployed and punches were thrown in both directions. Right-wing “Today is America” host Cam Higby was sprayed in the face and shouted in pain.

Dozens of participants from both sides were hit by clouds of spray sent from a pro-Palestinian demonstrator which cleared the street for a few moments. In a nearby alleyway, a man on his knees screamed in pain while his eyes were flushed out with water.

By 1PM, LAPD equipped their riot gear. Officers then formed a line on the sidewalk to push pro-Palestinian protesters even further away from the sidewalk in front of the synagogue and into the street. Behind the police line, some of the pro-Israel group gathered, holding Israeli flags and playing music. Another line of pro-Israeli counter-protesters assembled in front, surrounding the pro-Palestine group. 

LCRW reporter, Burns, who was within the pro-Palestinian group, was called a “terrorist” and a “baby killer.”

One man, Aryeh Newman, laughed with another pro-Israel supporter after kicking a pro-Palestine demonstrator in the leg. 

“Did you see me?” he asked, boasting about his involvement in the brawl that had just occurred. 

Another pro-Israel supporter excitedly shouted “bye bye Gaza, bye bye Rafah!” 

Newman previously claimed he was a student at UCLA during demonstrations to other reporters; though he was a student and board member of Students Supporting Israel he’d graduated several years ago. He’s become a fixture of counter-demonstrating at UCLA’s pro-Palestine demonstrations since.

At 1:00PM, LAPD waded into the crowd to detain an pro-Israel supporter.

At 1:20 p.m., the LAPD declared the protests unlawful for the first time, asking both sides to leave. 

“Go home, go to your cars. You cannot remain on Pico. Doesn’t matter what side you are on,” they declared.

Both groups ignored the order and the fighting continued to escalate. The officers then formed a riot line across both lanes on Pico Boulevard. Several officers brandished “less lethal,” munitions. Ultimately, their presence did little to separate the two groups and incidents of violence continued to boil. 

A brawl formed on the other side of Adas Torah and an older pro-Palestinian woman was caught in the middle. People fought over flags and a younger-looking man in a keffiyeh took several punches to the head from several in the pro-Israel crowd. Closer to Adas Torah, the LAPD used batons as they pushed the pro-Palestinian crowd. 

LCRW spoke to Kabi, the pro-Palestinian woman who was caught in the middle. 

“I was walking east on Pico in the middle of the street waving my flag. Next minute, someone had grabbed my flag and [tried] to pull it out of my hands. I didn’t let go of the flag, and the pro-Israel crowd pulled me over to their side of the road. Before I knew it I was surrounded by Zionists who eventually pulled the flag out of my hands while pushing and shoving. A fellow pro-Palestinan protester tried to extract me, he was punched in the head several times. I left the mob without my glasses, tried to go back to find them and one of the security guards told me they saw a pair stomped on the ground,” she told LCRW. 

Up to this point, LCRW reporters only saw officers point their weapons at the pro-Palestine side while trying to manage the crowd.

Some pockets of pro-Palestinian protesters had their arms linked and chanted “it’s our right to protest genocide,” while being pushed and hit with batons. Several protesters fell to the ground while the LAPD pushed forward.

When a pro-Israel protester tried to steal a large Palestinian flag, another brawl began with verbal taunts of “come on let’s go,” “bring it terrorists”, and “touch me I dare you, you Palestinian bitch.” Some spat on the pro-Palestine protesters. 

As the violence and abuse continued to escalate, so did the attacks on the press—especially female reporters. Members of the pro-Israel mob threatened Burns with both rape and beheading. Status Coup reporter Tina Desiree-Berg was surrounded several times, taunted, threatened, and pushed.

Yet another fight broke out at around 2PM; a throng of people from both sides ran toward nearby restaurant Holy Grill. One pro-Palestine demonstrator claimed her phone was stolen in the process.

Burns was surrounded again by pro-Israel protesters with their cameras lined up in her face. 

“Fuck Palestine, fuck you bitch, fuck you cunt ass bitch,” they yelled. The men only retreated when three male reporters came to her defense.

Throughout the escalation of violence, Rabbi Robbie Tombosky, who was scheduled to officiate a wedding after the protest, and a woman in a green hoodie attempted to keep both sides from the continued instigation of violence. .

Members of the mob pushed Desiree-Berg again and threatened Burns, saying she’d be “burnt at the stake.”

The mob pushed pro-Palestine demonstrators onto a side street while yelling “fuck you, terrorists!” Some of the pro-Palestine protesters attempted to leave. Two women walked towards a car on a nearby residential street as pro-Israel supporters followed them. The pro-Israel mob eventually surrounded the vehicle in an effort to stop them from leaving. A few other pro-Palestine protesters tried aiding in their exit, along with Rabbi Tombosky and the woman in the green hoodie.

Shirley Reitman, who served on the Beverly Hills Police Department’s Chief Advisory Panel and has been given numerous awards from the city, hurled homophobic slurs and attacked a pro-Palestinian man with several slaps and punches. Afterwards, she falsely, and loudly, claimed the man touched her. A group of pro-Israel supporters then immediately surrounded him and threw water bottles. Reitman is a member of many safety volunteer positions within the city of Beverly Hills. She also gave interviews which appeared in a pro-gun magazine that implied that because of her government connections, she likely received her concealed carry weapons permit on a fast track. Reitman also currently serves as the Safety Co-Chair at Hawthorne Elementary School in Beverly Hills.

The pro-Israel mob who’d pushed a group of protesters into a backstreet yelled at them, screaming “get out of our neighborhood” and demanding journalists with the group “go home.” 

Rabbi Tombosky’s headwear was removed during some of the pro-Israel demonstrators’ shoving, and an argument broke out. 

“I’m going to find out where you live and I’m coming to visit you,” one of the pro-Israel crowd told Burns while on that residential backstreet. 

“—to rape you,” another concluded. Burns then began filming and said “say it again, say it again” as Naftoli Sherman pushed her with force. As Sherman shoved Burns, real estate agent Michael Dayani put a hand in her face. At one point, he yelled “go home,” and “get the fuck out of here you dirty cunt.” The mob surrounded Desiree-Berg again and threatened her, one throwing an empty water bottle at her.

As the group on the residential backstreet made their way back onto Pico Boulevard, several additional fights broke out. Outside of nearby Beverly Hills Bagel, both groups took part in a shoving match. Several people said afterwards that it started after pro-Palestine demonstrators attempted to enter the bagel shop. A pro-Palestine protester threatened to use a taser and another knocked patio furniture down to the ground.

One fight included Naftoli Sherman. Multiple times throughout the day, Sherman jumped up and down, pushing and spitting at demonstrators. After the fight, he proudly displayed his bloodied face, and blew kisses into the crowd. Holding a small Israel flag, he stopped occasionally to pose for cameras. At least one photo shows Sherman putting another man in a headlock while they were on the ground while members of both sides of the protest attempted to separate them.

Before the protests were even over, pro-Israel social media accounts spun this specific incident into viral disinformation.They claimed Sherman was a “Jewish woman” who was attacked. Variety later interviewed Sherman and painted him as a victim despite his starting the fight.

Fights broke out constantly and the dwindling pro-Palestine crowd was outnumbered by hundreds. In one incident, an older man in a blue denim shirt can be seen swinging a rod at two pro-Palestine demonstrators’ heads. LAPD remained in front of the synagogue, watching the event unfold without intervening.

Pro-Palestine protesters attempted to leave through residential side streets and one yelled “we are trying to leave, but you are following us.” Their pro-Israel pursuers followed them singing “am yisrael chai.”

Several hundred pro-Israel counter-protesters chased and followed Pro-Palestian protesters through the residential streets. The pro-Israel mob instigated numerous attacks with fists and bear mace while water bottles rained down on pro-Palestine protesters.

Rony Mishiyev screamed “get out of here terrorists” and “get the fuck out” through a megaphone. Repeatedly, nearby residents exited their homes and tried telling both sides that their children were trying to sleep and excoriated both groups for disturbing their Sunday afternoon. A pro-Israel protester threatened one such parent.

One man in the group repeatedly called the pro-Palestine group a homophobic slur through a megaphone while telling them to “get out.” As the pro-Israel crowd followed, there were at least a few volleys of pepper spray by the pro-Palestine group. There were also multiple items thrown. Some in the pro-Israel mob shoved pro-Palestine protesters into the front of a vehicle as others attempted to steal their Palestinian flags.

One man on the pro-Israel side used racist language to describe a pro-Palestine protester filming from his bicycle. Another apologized for the racism after calling him a terrorist, and said “I’m sorry, that’s not right.” Several more participated in the racial abuse, pointing at a dog and telling the pro-Palestine protester to eat it. As the man bicycled away, a member of the group yelled more racial abuse at him.

Around this time, pro-Israel protesters shouted a racial slur for Arab people. 

On the residential side streets, cruisers from the Beverly Hills Police Department arrived. They deterred the crowd from entering Beverly Hills city limits by threatening the crowd from their patrol cars and telling them to go back to Pico Boulevard. Meanwhile, a pro-Palestine protestor took pepper spray straight to the face and the pro-Israel crowd surrounded him, clapping and cheering, as he received medical treatment. 

A few pro-Palestine protesters were noticeably injured as the pro-Israel crowd continued to threaten and taunt them. The crowd, once again, chased them up the street, hurling slurs along the way. 

Despite the BHPD’s warnings, the two groups would occasionally veer into the nearby city of Beverly Hills. At one point, the pro-Palestine group attempted unsuccessfully to get vehicles to leave, but most couldn’t as they fled the pro-Israel mob. .

One pro-Palestine protester being chased by about a dozen pro-Israel ones went past an LAPD cruiser. It ended after a black truck sped through, nearly clipping several people. CalMatters journalist Sergio Olmos, who was following and filming, had his phone swiped at and nearly stolen. A pro-Israel protester then shoved him. The chase resumed, and the mob beat a pro-Palestine protester with a flurry of punches and kicks. After being helped to his feet, the protester resumed leaving as someone on a megaphone exclaimed “payback’s a bitch!” 

While this was happening, cars full of pro-Israel protesters roamed the streets, stopping at fights and getting out to attack others. 

The pro-Palestine group—now dwindled to just a handful—continued to be pursued. One man wearing green soft body armor featuring Hebrew lettering and carrying a riot shield escorted the pro-Palestinian protesters. At one point, the man with the riot shield pleaded with the crowd, who were pouring water on him to relent, saying “I’m on your side.”

Pro-Palestine protesters were then chased towards LAPD officers where they tried to find safety from the pursuing group. The LAPD responded with batons and yelled “get back.” A member of LA SHMIRA attempted to tell officers that the group was being chased and needed protection. Eventually, some of the pro-Palestine protesters were allowed through the police line. As they were, the pro-Israel crowd started to repeatedly chant “USA.”

More violence continued nearby. A pro-Palestine woman was receiving medical care down a side alley when a mob of pro-Israeli men rushed in. An LA Shmira volunteer attempted to hold them back as a man in a dress jacket barged through, telling people to stop recording and leave. 

The pro-Israel crowd began to search for more pro-Palestine protesters. When none were found, they returned to the area around Adas Torah.

There, several pro-Palestine protesters were being confronted in front of a line of LAPD officers. One man, wearing a keffiyeh, repeatedly attempted to get officers to allow him to go through the police line. Eventually, he attempted to go to another line of officers and was followed and threatened. He put up his fists and officers finally allowed him through. On his way through, his keffiyeh was grabbed by a pro-Israel counter-protester.

 “We want to see who assaulted us,” a pro-Israel demonstrator said.

Once behind the police line, a pro-Israel protester continued to follow him and nearly approached before officers stopped him. A pro-Israel woman yelled “go to Compton, no Jews are there.”

Members of the pro-Israel crowd pushed and stole the hat of a pro-Palestine man who previously had used pepper spray. He motioned to officers who were just feet away. The crowd pushed him, again, and poured water on him, some of which splashed onto an LAPD officer. He was then yanked away several feet by his hair.

 “Are you going to do something or what?” the pro-Palestine man asked the police.

He was let through the police line. Seconds later, a pro-Israel demonstrator stole Sergio Olmos’ phone out of his hands. 

Moments later, Dayani hovered over a female pro-Palestine protester. He put his body in between the police, who grabbed her hand to lead her past. When the woman was let through, he slapped the wall yelling “stay right here, you little bitch!” 

“Come back and get receipts!” he yelled as he began to move towards the police line who then pushed him away

After that incident, most of the people, outside of the pro-Israel crowd, were journalists. The pro-Israel crowd directed all of the focus on them. One local photojournalist was accused of being an “Al Jazeera reporter” and quickly surrounded by the mob. Both of LCRW’s reporters attempted to break it up and stated they were press. Burns was then taunted by a man.

“Oh you are press, we better be nice,” a man said to taunt Burns before flicking her hat off and removing her mask.

Beckner-Carmitchel was surrounded and had his phone knocked out of his hand. Another videographer caught it prior to both being punched and kicked multiple times. One of the attackers was Barouch Shalom Ahula, who previously sprayed chemical irritants on people at UCLA’s protests.

Burns filmed the attack on Beckner-Carmitchel before her own phone was taken. When she attempted to follow the assailant, she was tripped, her mask removed again, and was kicked in the back. The phone thief ran towards the police line which observed the assault and did nothing to intervene. The thief threw Burns’s phone and she recovered it. She asked the officers for protection only to be swiftly denied. She retreated into a doorway, again surrounded by pro-Israel men and women, as they threw both stones and screamed slurs. Eventually, LCRW’s reporters were pulled through the police line.

Even after the protest had largely ended, small groups of pro-Israel protesters walked through the neighborhood. One group was seen running through the streets and claimed they had  found a pro-Palestine protester.

At least one man associated with former Jewish Defense League/Kach party leader Meir Kahane was present at Adas Torah. Rabbi Moshe Parry attended, carrying an Israeli flag. Parry has spoken publicly numerous times in support of Kahane, including a controversial speech at UCLA Hillel’s Coffee Bean in 2015. Among numerous violent pro-Kahane speeches or comments he openly supported a firebombing in the West Bank which murdered three people including an 18-month old just months before his Coffee Bean appearance. Rabbi Parry worked as a paid political consultant for the campaign of former LA City Councilman Paul Koretz, earning more than $5,000 in 2009-2010. Parry  said in videos that they have been friends since childhood.

One attendee was wearing a shirt bearing the logo of Lehava. ‘Lehava’ is an acronym in Hebrew for “preventing assimilation in the holy land,” and also is the word for flame in Hebrew. They violently oppose marriage between Jews and non-Jews, as well as non-Jewish presence in Israel. Nearly all of their leaders are former members of Kach, the far-right Israeli party outlawed after a member named Baruch Goldstein murdered over two dozen people in Hebron’s Ibrahimi mosque. The group was designated a terrorist group by the US State Department in 1994, and was sanctioned by the US Treasury in July of 2024. The Biden administration accused them of “engag[ing] in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians.”

Daniel Braum, a member of both SoRo Neighborhood Council and LA Shmira, said during a Public Safety meeting on July 1 that the LAPD had grossly underestimated the potential for a large protest at Adas Torah. He’d also say that the LAPD cited the small size of the Valley Village protests in their lack of readiness. Braum also mentioned that the LAPD told him they’d only planned to send five officers ahead of time but he’d negotiated for more.

Afterwards, both city and national leaders would largely call the protest antisemitic. President Biden would state on social media that he was appalled and say that “intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic, and un-American.” 

A day later at an event at the Simon Wiesenthal Center LA Mayor Karen Bass would attend an event to admonish protestors at a synagogue.

“I want to be clear that Los Angeles will not be a harbor for antisemitism and violence,” she said.

Flanked by several prominent politicians, then-Interim LAPD Chief Choi and members of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Bass called for banning masks at protests. Banned.TV podcaster Adam King also attended and was situated directly behind Bass wearing an Infowars hat. King’s show often features conspiracy theories and racist guests. He’s hosted January 6th riot organizer Ali Alexander, antisemitic comedian Owen Benjamin, and convicted Trump loyalist Roger Stone. He’s also “debated,” neo-Nazis and white nationalists which often veer into a “light disagreement,” and both sides laughing at their love of racial slurs.

Outside that event, pro-Israel supporters had a small rally. One man carried the flag of the Jewish Defense League, considered up until recently a terrorist group. Despite her condemnation of the pro-Palestinian protests, Bass would be booed as her vehicle drove away past the rally.

Los Angeles City Council weighed putting $1 million from its city funds into Magen Am and the Jewish Federation. A quarter of the money was earmarked towards a more opaque fund for “non profit organizations to support community safety initiatives in the Jewish communities of Los Angeles.” The proposal would be sent back to committee after a contentious city hall meeting.

Governor Newsom would sign into law $115 million in grant money towards increased security at synagogues, day schools, Jewish community centers, LGBTQ+ community centers, reproductive health facilities, and other nonprofits. California’s Legislative Jewish Caucus would say that was a direct result of the Adas Torah protest.

Other than the single arrest on site, there have been no arrests in conjunction with the Adas Torah protests. The sole arrest was of Michael Dayani for 55.07 LAMC, which prohibits large poles, signs and other items at protests. In fact, several UCLA encampment attackers went without any charges, and later would participate in violence at the Adas Torah protests.

Several arrests and warrants have been brought up regarding the UCLA attacks. Marlan-Librett is charged with with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon as well as one count of misdemeanor battery on April 28. He also faces special allegations of a hate crime, use of a deadly weapon, and aggravating circumstances of armed with or use of a deadly weapon. Marlan-Librett pleaded not guilty, and his most recent preliminary hearing was continued on Nov. 22. 

Shalom is charged with with one count of use of tear gas. He is expected to surrender to authorities, but has not set a surrender date.

Last Tuesday the 19th of November, My Home In Israel held another land sale event at the Kingsway Jewish Center, an Orthodox Synagogue in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The Palestinian Assembly for Liberation (PAL-Awda NY/NJ) organized a protest in response, hundreds attended as did Pro-Israel counter protestors, some waving  JDL (Jewish Defense Leage) flags.