A 69-year-old California Jewish man has died from injuries he received when two competing rallies clashed in Thousand Oaks on Sunday.
Paul Kessler died on Monday, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office said it was still investigating the altercation that led to Kessler’s death. They said he fell during the altercation and apparently struck his head on the concrete sidewalk. The medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide by blunt force head injury.
Some reports said that a pro-Palestinian demonstrator hit Kessler, who had been waving an Israeli flag, with a megaphone before he fell.
“The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime,” the sheriff’s office said.
Witnesses said the confrontation between Kessler and at least one other person was heated.
“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,” said a witness who did not want to be identified.
Video from the scene showed medics helping Kessler, and the man identified as the person with the megaphone is seen talking with deputies.
Jewish groups condemned a rise in antisemitism, particularly since the start of the Israeli-Hamas war early last month.
“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, said the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. “Violence against our people has no place in civilized society. We demand safety. We will not tolerate violence against our community. We will do everything in our power to prevent it.”
“We need all decent people to unequivocally reject the hate and violence that has spiraled since October 7, no matter their opinions on the conflict or who that hate and violence targets,” said Amy Sptalnick CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
Hussam Ayloush, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Los Angeles, said his organization was “deeply saddened by this tragic and shocking loss.
“We join local Jewish leaders in calling on all individuals to refrain from jumping to conclusions, sensationalizing such a tragedy for political gains, or spreading rumors that could unnecessarily escalate tensions that are already at an all-time high,” he said. “We urge everyone to wait for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office to complete its investigation before drawing any conclusions. Our thoughts are with the family and the Jewish community during this difficult time.”
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[Featured image: Paul Kessler is loaded onto an ambulance after Sunday’s confrontation/KABC screenshot]
