Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass added her voice Tuesday to the outrage being expressed over the death of a Jewish man who was struck in the head during dueling demonstrations in Ventura County over the Israel-Hamas war.
Paul Kessler, 69, of Thousand Oaks, died as a result of injuries sustained during a Sunday altercation at pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian rallies that were occurring simultaneously at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, which was handling the investigation.
The location is in Thousand Oaks just west of the Los Angeles County border, west of the city of Westlake Village.
Authorities said they have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime, and Ventura County officials scheduled a 10 a.m. news briefing Tuesday at the sheriff’s East County Station in Thousand Oaks to give an update on the investigation.
Bass issued a statement Tuesday saying that “Los Angeles refuses to harbor this hatred.”
“We mourn the death of the Jewish man who died after being injured during a protest in Thousand Oaks,” Bass said. “As details emerge and are confirmed, we stand resolute in condemnation of violence and antisemitism. This death is a blow to our region at a time when tensions continue to rise worldwide. We must redouble our efforts to ensure violence and hate are met with accountability and consequences.”
On Monday, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky issued a statement saying, “We cannot turn away from this. For the fourth time this year, Los Angeles has suffered yet another major antisemitic crimel We cannot ignore the disgusting antisemitism, hate speech, and violence that has proliferated here at home. While we wait for more details, know this: violence against our community cannot be and will never be tolerated.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles also issued a statement condemning the man’s death.
“We are devastated to learn of the tragic death of an elderly Jewish man who was struck in the head by a megaphone wielded by a pro-Palestinian protester in Westlake Village,” according to a statement from the organization. “Our hearts are with the family of the victim. 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.
“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.”
At about 3:20 p.m. Sunday, multiple people called the Ventura County Sheriff’s Communication Center to report that a battery had occurred at the rallies.
Responding deputies found Kessler, who was suffering from a head injury. Sheriff’s officials said witness accounts indicated that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protesters, and that during the altercation, Kessler fell backward and struck his head on the ground.
A witness told Fox11 that he saw a man strike Kessler with a megaphone before running away. No arrests have been made, although various reports indicated that investigators have already spoken to the person who allegedly struck Kessler.
Kessler was taken to a hospital for “advanced medical treatment” but died on Monday, authorities said.
An autopsy was performed by the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office which “determined the cause of death to be blunt force head injury and the manner of death homicide,” according to the sheriff’s department.
Anyone who witnessed or has knowledge of the incident, or who was present at the demonstrations, was encouraged to contact Detective Stump at 805-384-4745. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).