A California court sentenced Louis Abel Fattah Al-Naji (53) to one year in prison and two years probation for the manslaughter of Jewish protester Paul Kessler (69) in November 2023, near Los Angeles. Al-Naji struck Kessler in the head with a megaphone during dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations, causing his fatal fall. Jewish groups criticized the sentence as too lenient, saying it signals violence against Jews is tolerated.
A California court sentenced Louis Abel Fattah Al-Naji (53) to one year in prison and two years probation for the manslaughter of Jewish protester Paul Kessler (69) in November 2023, near Los Angeles. Al-Naji struck Kessler in the head with a megaphone during dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations, causing his fatal fall.
The sentence drew sharp criticism from Jewish advocacy groups, who described the punishment as too lenient. "The message being sent is that one can get away with assaulting a person in broad daylight because of disagreement with their views, especially when it concerns Israel," the groups said in a statement.
As The Zioneer has reported on recent hate-crime cases in the US (July 2025: eight Antifa activists sentenced to a combined 450 years for a Texas ICE facility attack; June 2025: a homeless man charged with murder of a yeshiva student in Israel), this case highlights ongoing concerns about violence linked to political activism and antisemitic attacks. No further appeal has been reported yet.
3 developments
- StrongISIS operative sentenced to 15 years for planning attacks on Jews, critics say 'not enough'
- StrongFormer soccer player sentenced to 1 year in prison for running over protesters in Tel Aviv
- Strong93-year-old man run over at Geha Junction protest, according to Israeli activist
- DevelopingElderly man shouts antisemitic slur at pro-Israel rally in Sag Harbor, New York
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