Two men were charged Tuesday with a hate crime attack outside a Beverly Grove-area restaurant in May.
Samer Jayylusi, 36, of Whittier, and Xavier Pabon, 30, of Banning, are each facing two felony counts of assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The criminal complaint includes a hate crime allegation.
Jayylusi did not show up in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom for his arraignment, and a bench warrant was issued, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Pabon is due in court Thursday for arraignment.
The two men were allegedly part of a caravan waving Palestinian flags in the 300 block of North La Cienega Boulevard on May 18, hours after a large protest in support of Palestinian rights amid violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Jayylusi and Pabon are accused of approaching two men outside a restaurant and attacking them because of their religion, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Cell phone video showed a group of men exit a car and begin to attack the diners while yelling racial slurs.
Mayor Eric Garcetti characterized what happened as an “organized, anti-Semitic attack.”
Police said one minor injury was reported.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the 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,” the police chief said at the time.
Pabon was arrested May 21 by Los Angeles police, while Jayylusi was arrested four days later.
Both men were subsequently freed on bond.
In announcing the charges, District Attorney George Gascon said, “A hate crime is a crime against all of us. My office is committed to doing all we can to make Los Angeles County a place where our diversity is embraced and protected.”
America is a nation of immigrants but we are committing suicide by allowing immigrants who openly express hatred for our way of life; immigrants like these and current NY Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. They should have been denied entrance to our country and given visas and then citizenship. They hate us, and particularly Jews, yet for fear of being accused of racism or xenophobia they are not only welcomed, but often even recruited.
These people committed a violent hate crime. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. There is no question. However, it is also possible to believe that the US should be concerned about both Israelis and Palestinians. The violence committed between them involves innocent people on both sides daily. Calling out people who question significant financial contributions to this ongoing war in the same way as people who physically attacked people on the street is dishonest. People can disagree with the US funding of Israel and not be anti semites. It is a difficult issue but labeling anyone that doesn’t… Read more »
Thank you for your reasoned and civil response. Israel is and always has been our ally in the middle east. America has great economic interests in Israel and there are more American citizens who live in Israel than in any other country in that part of the world. To suggest that there is anything reasonable about the Palestinian’s position against Israel is absolutely wrong. Israel is not at war with the Palestinians but they do occasionally strike back in self-defense. We don’t hear about the daily assaults on Israel, but when Israel strikes back it is front pager news. Without… Read more »
FYI…Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is not from NYC. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is a representative – chosen freely and fairly, by the citizens of her district in Minnesota. And, please stop with the fantasy view of Israel and their behavior towards the Palestinians. These two pieces of crap along with your “radical left” comment distract from what the article is about, which is a horrible Anti-Semitic attack and the perpetrators being caught.
Yes, you’re right, I did confuse Omar for AOC who is from Queens where I once lived. AOC literally broke down in tears at the end of this last week when it became clear that Congress is going to fund the dome after all that protects Israel from the thousands of bombs the Palestinians lob their way. But I was right about everything else I said. Ilhan Omar was indeed elected by the citizens of her district which is made up largely of immigrants from a part of the world who have always said up front that they hate America… Read more »