Jewish man seen waving Israel flag moments before he's 'killed with megaphone'
A Jewish man believed to have died as the result of an alleged altercation with a pro-Palestinian protestor in a suburb was pictured waving the flag of Israel moments before he suffered his fatal injury.
Paul Kessler, 69, died in hospital yesterday after he was struck during an incident. Pictures showed him carrying an Israeli flag as a "proud Jew and proud Israel supporter," according to one of his friends.
Some reporters indicate he was struck by a megaphone, but this remains unconfirmed. What is confirmed is that Kessler died after suffering what has been ruled as a homicide caused by a blunt-force head injury.
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Officials have said members of both the Jewish and Muslim communities have suffered an increase in religion-based hate crimes (Fox 11)
Kessler is seen on the floor after the alleged altercation (twitter/StopAntisemites)The incident in Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, comes amid heightening tensions around the globe due to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. A month ago today, Hamas brutally executed 1,400 people in depraved and barbaric attacks, prompting Israel to bombard the region with airstrikes that the Gaza Health Ministry says has killed over 10,000.
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Officials have said members of both the Jewish and Muslim communities have suffered an increase in religion-based hate crimes. Currently, investigators with the Sheriff's Department said police had not ruled out a hate crime regarding Kessler, but no arrests have been made.
Other unconfirmed reports suggested that Kessler may have been pushed and fallen. Rabbi Michael Barclay of Temple Ner Simcha in Westlake Village, near Thousand Oaks, urged people to avoid jumping to conclusions about what happened.
“I just got off the phone with the Chief of Police,” he posted on Twitter. “They have conflicting reports of what happened, and they did interview the suspect that is identified in social media at the event. They have no video.”
Other unconfirmed reports suggested that Kessler may have been pushed and fallen (ABC7)In a statement, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said: "We are devastated to learn of the tragic death of an elderly Jewish man who was struck in the head by a megaphone wielded by a pro-Palestinian protestor in Westlake Village. Our hearts are with the family of the victim.
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"While we wait for more information from our law enforcement partners, we remind you that this is the fourth major antisemitic crime committed in Los Angeles this year alone. Violence against our people has no place in civilised society."
The statement added: "We demand safety. We will not tolerate violence against our community. We will do everything in our power to prevent it."
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