A 69-year-old Jewish man died Monday after falling and hitting his head during an altercation with pro-Palestinian protesters in California, authorities said.
Paul Kessler died from injuries sustained during a dueling demonstration Sunday in Thousand Oaks and authorities are investigating his death as a possible hate crime, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.
Kessler, an Israel supporter, was involved in a scuffle with pro-Palestinian protesters around 3:20 p.m. when he suffered a head injury during the confrontation, authorities and family friends said.
An autopsy conducted Monday determined Kessler’s manner of death was a homicide, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, the sheriff’s office said.
The Los Angeles Times reported Kessler was hit in the head before he fell, citing deputies. When contacted by The Post late Monday, a sheriff’s spokesman would not confirm or deny what led to the fall.
Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement Kessler was hit with a megaphone, but authorities did not mention the allegations Monday.
Moshe Bryski, a local rabbi from Chabad of Agoura Hills, told The Post Kessler’s death was “just a tragedy.”
Kessler’s wife was “in a state of utter shock” when he called her this morning, he said. Kessler was a counter-protester to a pro-Palestinian demonstration, he said.
Paul Kessler died of injuries sustained during a dueling demonstration Sunday in Thousand Oaks. An Israeli supporter fell and hit his head during an altercation with a pro-Palestinian protester.
“You don’t expect people to go to a rally and not come home,” Bryski said.
No arrests were announced in a press release Monday from the sheriff’s office. Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. local time Tuesday where more information may be released.
Footage circulating on social media of the incident purportedly shows a man lying on the ground with an apparent head injury as two people, including a woman wearing a jacket emblazoned with “Free Palestine,” come to his aid.
Kessler’s family friend, Justin Cohen, told The Post on Monday night that the rally attended by Kessler was the second he had attended since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been announced.
Cohen, a 38-year-old lawyer, said he was “shocked and devastated” by the sudden death.
“I’ve never known him to have so much violence in him in his entire life,” Cohen said of Kessler.
“He’s not a closet Zionist — he wears it like a badge of honor,” Cohen said. “He is a proud Jew and a proud supporter of Israel.”
Michael Barclay, a local rabbi who has been in contact with police, told The Post authorities are still looking for any footage witnesses can provide to explain the incident.
Barclay said a man allegedly involved in the altercation has been interviewed by investigators.
Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell said in a statement that he was “heartbroken” by the death.
“I am saddened to hear of the tragic death of an elderly man today after being attacked in a protest in my district,” he said. posted on X.
“My prayers are with the family and friends of this man. Our entire community is saddened by this senseless loss of life. I call for peace in our community.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
