The San Jose Police Department is investigating an attack on two Israeli American men on Sunday afternoon as a potential hate crime, a spokesman for the department in the California Bay Area told JNS.
According to the department, three men approached the victims, and a “physical altercation occurred” near Santana Row, a fancy shopping area. The victims had minor injuries and alleged that the offenders used antisemitic language, according to the police spokesman, who said that the suspects fled the scene.
Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose, told JNS that “antisemitism and any acts of hatred have no place in San Jose.”
“Being able to talk about our differences and celebrate them is what makes us the safest big city in America,” the Democrat said. “I have been in touch with our police department and leaders in the local Jewish community regarding this deeply disturbing incident and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Marc Levine, Central Pacific regional director at the Anti-Defamation League, told JNS that the ADL is working “actively” with police and the mayor’s office. “We are relieved to see reports that those who were attacked received care at a local hospital,” he said.
Daniel Klein, CEO of Jewish Silicon Valley, told JNS that his nonprofit heard from witnesses and a rabbi who knows the victims, and members of the nonprofit’s board talked to the victims, whom he described as Israeli Americans who were speaking Hebrew when they were attacked.
As the two waited for a table at a restaurant, the three aggressors attacked them unprovoked, according to Klein.
“They knock out one of the victims, and then three of them jump on top of the other victim and beat them for about 60 seconds before then running off,” he said.
‘Video, angles and testimonials’
The Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area posted video footage that showed two young men punching someone on the ground, as a third young man punches another victim. All three attackers then ran away.
The JCRC stated that it was “aware of a disturbing incident at Santana Row in San Jose in which two Israeli Americans were brutally attacked while speaking Hebrew.” It added that one of the victims was rendered “briefly unconscious” and “both victims were transported to the emergency room and later released.”
JNS viewed footage that showed a young man holding a victim’s leg as another man punches the latter on the ground.
“We’ve been coordinating and making sure this information is getting to our elected officials, decisionmakers and police,” Klein told JNS. “We also opened an ability for community members to send additional information they have so that we’re making sure that we have all the video, angles and testimonials.”
“We are also asking our elected officials to come out publicly and condemn this hate and attack against the Jewish community and Israeli community,” Klein said.
Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.), a former San Jose mayor, stated that “we must all condemn the violent assault on two Israeli Americans yesterday at Santana Row.”
“Violence targeting any members of our community, including our Jewish and Israeli community members, amounts to an attack on all of us,” he said. “I support SJPD’s full investigation of this crime to ensure those responsible face criminal prosecution.”
Marco Sermoneta, consul general of Israel to the Pacific Northwest, stated that “two American-Israelis brutally attacked in broad daylight in San Jose just for speaking Hebrew.”
“I call on California elected officials to condemn this vile, cowardly act and for law enforcement to address this grave incident swiftly and effectively,” he said.
Tali Klima, spokeswoman for the Bay Area Jewish Coalition, told JNS that “the Jewish community is absolutely horrified and devastated by the attacks that took place on Sunday.”
“Santana Row is a place we all frequent and enjoy. To think that such a brutal attack could occur in broad daylight in front of many onlookers just for being Jewish is terrifying,” she said.
Klein told JNS that he wished he “could say that the Jewish community is shocked” about what happened.
“Unfortunately, there’s been so many of these incidents, and there’s so much negative rhetoric out there that it’s not a shock, but at the same time, the community is extremely concerned,” he said.
Security costs for Jewish institutions have increased by 100% to 300% over the past two years, according to Klein.
“It’s becoming a lot more costly to have Jewish joy and Jewish engagement,” and there is “frustration that the Jewish community has to spend so much money just for the privilege to be Jewish,” he added.
