OC Man Arrested In Connection Antisemitic Attack

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Police arrested an Anaheim man in connection with an attack on Jewish diners outside a Beverly Grove area restaurant by a caravan of demonstrators waving Palestinian flags.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore announced the Monday night arrest of the 35-year-old Anaheim man suspected in the attack. The suspect, whose name was not immediately released was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, "with hate crime enhancements being sought," Moore told the Police Commission Tuesday.

The latest arrest follows Friday's arrest of Xavier Pabon, 30, of Banning on similar charges. Investigators believe the two men were part of a group who approached several Jewish diners outside Sushi Fumi in the 300 block of North La Cienega Boulevard last week after a large protest in support of Palestinian rights amid the violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Cellphone footage from the scene showed the attackers shouting antisemitic slurs and beating several diners.

One diner, who is not Jewish, told CBS2 a caravan waving pro- Palestinian flags approached and then began throwing bottles at him and the group he was dining with. The man said he is a photographer and the group was meeting at the restaurant to plan a wedding.

Police said one minor injury was reported. Mayor Eric Garcetti characterized the crime as an "organized, anti-semitic attack."

The attacks sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from community leaders as well as calls for unity in the face of rising hate crimes.

"We stand against the idea that Jews should be singled out and attacked because of who they are," Garcetti said at the gathering outside City Hall on Thursday.

It wasn't the antisemitic hate crime capture on camera last week as the tension between pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israel groups boiled over.

The attack occurred about 24 hours after an Orthodox Jewish man was seen on surveillance video being chased by a pro-Palestinian caravan attempting to run him over near Rosewood and La Brea avenues. The man managed to escape without injury. Police have said they believe both attacks were related.

Moore said Tuesday night's attack at the restaurant "appeared to spring from a roving band of vehicles that were seen flying flags within the Jewish-populated areas of Hollywood, West L.A., Mid-Wilshire, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills."

He said police are still searching for two more people believed to have taken part in the restaurant attack.

"We have a substantial amount of video evidence as well as additional clues and tips coming in, as well as the fruits of the arrests of these two individuals," Moore said.

The LAPD's Wilshire station urged anyone with information regarding the restaurant assault to call them at 213-922-8230 or Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-8477.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.