Who was Paul Kesler? Jewish man dies after altercation with protesters at pro-Palestine rally in California
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: An elderly Jewish man, Paul Kessler, tragically lost his life following an altercation during a protest related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime, according to Daily Mail.
The incident took place in California, and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office confirmed the unfortunate death of 69-year-old Kessler.
Kessler was present at a site where two rival rallies were taking place, along Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard. One of the rallies expressed support for Israel, while the other strongly advocated for the Palestinian cause.
In this charged atmosphere, where emotions were running high on both sides, a tragic incident would soon unfold.
Anti-Israeli protesters continued chanting at the scene were the 65-year-old Jewish man Paul Kessler allegedly got beaten and later lost his life.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 7, 2023
His blood was still on the ground… pic.twitter.com/A8ph0lkUGI
Witnesses recount physical altercation in which Paul Kessler fell backward
The sequence of events that culminated in Kessler's untimely passing commenced when Sheriff's deputies received a distressing report of a battery at 3:15 pm.
Witnesses at the scene described a physical altercation in which Kessler fell backward, tragically striking his head on the ground.
Some reports indicated that he might have been hit with a megaphone during a confrontation with a pro-Palestine protester.
Video footage widely circulated on social media documented the moment when Kessler was on the ground, receiving assistance from two individuals.
One of them had a Palestinian flag and the words "Free Palestine" on her back, while another person was nearby, recording the incident with a cell phone camera.
BREAKING: This is the last photo of Paul Kessler taken just 5 minutes before he was attacked by an anti-Israel protester yesterday afternoon. I received photos and videos from a source at the scene. pic.twitter.com/QBbLIO0lBM
— Christina Buttons (@buttonslives) November 7, 2023
Autopsy revealed that Paul Kessler died from blunt force head injury
Currently, authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding Kessler's death and have not disclosed information about potential suspects.
Following his fall, Kessler was promptly taken to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries a day later.
An autopsy conducted on Kessler determined that he had passed away due to a blunt-force head injury, and the manner of his death was officially categorized as a homicide.
However, the incident appears to be isolated in nature and not part of any broader coordinated effort.
Jewish officials and organizations weigh in on Paul Kessler's death
Rabbi Michael Barclay, a prominent figure in Westlake, stressed the significance of seeking reliable information and keeping one's composure during this turbulent period.
He stated, "Please do NOT post misinformation about the horrible death of an elderly Jew yesterday here in Westlake, where I am the local Rabbi."
Rabbi Barclay also mentioned that he had held conversations with the Chief of Police and that they were actively examining multiple testimonies of the incident, including video recordings.
The circumstances surrounding Kessler's death are still unclear, as Rabbi Barclay emphasized, "It is not clear yet exactly what happened other than an elderly Jew was counter-protesting at a Gazan demonstration, hit the ground, and died."
He reiterated, "We DO NOT KNOW at this time if he fell, was pushed, or was attacked. Please do not spread rumors. We will know soon what happened."
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles commented on the tragedy, indicating that the victim had been "struck in the head by a megaphone wielded by a pro-Palestinian protester."
Regrettably, they were unable to offer additional details regarding the incident.
The Federation, in an official statement, denounced the incident as the fourth significant antisemitic crime in Los Angeles this year.
They underscored, "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."