‘They were chanting «death to Jews» and «free Palestine,»‘ said one witness, who asked to remain anonymous for his safety.
Authorities are investigating a violent brawl outside a Beverly Grove sushi restaurant Tuesday night as an antisemitic hate crime. Los Angeles Police Department officials said no arrests have been made, and officials have not released a motive. But video that captured part of the attack shows several people in a caravan of cars with Palestinian flags yelling “F— you” and “You guys should be ashamed of yourselves” as they drove by the restaurant. Later, the video showed a group of about eight people, most dressed in all black, descending on sidewalk diners. At one point, a person can be heard yelling, “Israel kills children!” The fight grew increasingly violent as it spilled further onto the sidewalk. One man swung a metal stanchion at the attackers, who then pushed him against a car, punched and kicked him, the video shows. “Guys, guys, it’s not worth it,” another man can be heard saying over a megaphone in the video as the attackers dispersed down the street. The attack happened shortly before 10 p.m., according to the LAPD. A witness told The Times that a caravan of cars waving Palestinian flags drove by the restaurant, Sushi Fumi, on La Cienega Boulevard. People from the caravan began throwing bottles and other items at the diners. “They were chanting ‘death to Jews’ and ‘free Palestine,’” said the witness, who asked to remain anonymous because he feared for his safety. “They had malice.” LAPD Officer Jeff Lee said three of the attackers were last seen heading northbound in a Jeep on La Brea. At least one person suffered unknown injuries, Lee said, but no one was transported to the hospital. Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo, who oversees the LAPD’s West Bureau, said Wednesday that extensive resources are being used to identify the perpetrators, including security footage and witness videos. “This behavior is completely unacceptable in our city,” Palazzolo said. “We are a city of many different backgrounds.
