A July 2 L.A. Times Headline is misleading (“A plan to fund $1 million in security for Jewish spaces is amended after a protest in City Hall.”).
After a large group of pro-Palestinian protestors blocked the entrance to Adas Torah Synagogue in the Pico Robertson neighborhood on June 23: people were prohibited from entering the Synagogue. At the time, Palestinian protestors claimed they were opposing a real estate promotion event. The confrontation turned nasty with punches, chemical agents sprayed and people used protest signs as weapons. The confrontation made national news.
Sam Yebri, a Jewish community leader and former candidate for the 5th District Seat said, “The June 23 attack on the Jewish community had nothing to do with real estate, and everything to do with Jew hatred.”
Violence erupted as people were prevented from entering the Synagogue
Three days later, Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion to increase security at places of worship, community centers, and schools, particularly within the Jewish Community.
Governor Newsom had already committed to providing $80 million over the next two years for State Nonprofit Security Grants. The Councilmembers’ motion called for the Chief Legislative Analyst, to report back within 30 days about:
- Any available City funds to immediately support nonprofit community security services.
- Mechanisms that may allow the City to be reimbursed from State or Federal grants for expenses incurred prior to the availability of those grants.
- The availability and timing of any additional State or Federal grant funds that could supplement local funding.
On July 2, Yaroslavsky and Blumenfield’s proposal was expanded to cover other faiths, too, which meant that voting was deferred.
L.A. Times’ caption read “Groups against a proposed City council resolution to fund Zionist defense training pack the council chamber as they spoke out against the motion on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at City Hall in Los Angeles, Ca. The motion would provide upwards of $1 million to Pro-Israel vigilante/security companies for Zionist defense Training.”
Yebri wrote on X “the L.A. Times just called the Jewish Federation the Jewish Community Foundation and Magen Am ‘Pro-Israel vigilante/security company for Zionist Defense training’ . . .WTF.”
“It is inexcusable to fan the flames of Jew hatred that has taken over L.A.” Yebri wrote.
(Editor’s note: One would hope that L.A. Times readers would protest the inaccurate caption and headline. Readers might also ask ‘Why did the editor allow such a misleading headline and caption to be printed?”)