It wasn’t Berlin in 1934. This was Los Angeles in 2024.

A mob gathered to “demonstrate” outside of a synagogue in Los Angeles on Sunday, while an event was taking place inside. According to Breitbart News, the event was a meeting about buying real estate in Israel. So the pro-Hamas crowd showed up – with bear spray, among other things. This was not a peaceful protest, and it was never meant to be one. This was meant to be a targeted attack. While it doesn’t quite fit the textbook definition of a pogrom, it sure got damned close. While national media (aside from more right-leaning outlets) isn’t covering this mob protest, local news did – though they had to go try and “both sides” the confrontation.

Scattered bouts of violence and fist fights broke out during dueling protests over the fighting in the Middle East in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Pico-Robertson on Sunday.

Los Angeles Police Department officers were first sent to the 9000 block of Pico Boulevard after learning of the ongoing incident, according to officers.

It reportedly began when pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside of the Abas Torah synagogue and attempted to block the entrance, where they were promptly met by pro-Israel demonstrators.

Both sides could be seen carrying flags and signs supporting their individual causes.

SkyCal flew overhead as the protests escalated into violence at times, with people throwing kicks and punches as the large group of people moved through the streets in the area.

“Doesn’t belong here,” said Rabbi Hertzel Illulian when asked about the violence in the area. “I don’t think the Jewish would go in front of a mosque or the Christian people would go in front of a mosque to do such a thing, nobody would accept this, but here, when it comes to Jews and Israel everything is kosher, everything is okay.”

And the mob did more than just “block the entrance,” according to those on the scene.

I was there today for an event at the shul. @LAPDHQ let the Hamas supporters take over the sidewalk in front of the shul and block its entrance. In fact, LAPD had formed a cordon around the front of the shul to keep Jews out and Hamas supporters in. I tried to enter with my kids… https://t.co/ZKPPppO55H

— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) June 24, 2024

The full post reads:

I was there today for an event at the shul. @LAPDHQ let the Hamas supporters take over the sidewalk in front of the shul and block its entrance. In fact, LAPD had formed a cordon around the front of the shul to keep Jews out and Hamas supporters in. I tried to enter with my kids through the front door and was turned away not by Hamas supporters but by the LAPD. Anyone who wanted to attend had to use a secret back entrance. @KarenBassLA and @LAPDHQ are an absolute disgrace — it’s clear the police have been instructed to help the Democratic Party street animals do their thuggery. They were definitely not there to protect the right of Jews to enter their shul.

While the LAPD did respond to one report of a gun being brandished, resulting in a couple of arrests, the mob was not deterred by the presence of the LAPD in the least.

Arrest every attacker. https://t.co/qvD5o4a16X

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 24, 2024

And it spread out a lot further than just in front of the synagogue. Remember, this is a Jewish neighborhood in Los Angeles – which means that the synagogue is located centrally to many homes.

Mobs of antisemites parade through Jewish neighborhoods in Los Angeles chanting "baby killers".

This is a pogrom in America in 2024.pic.twitter.com/GsMy1q9uSF

— Shelley G (@ShelleyGldschmt) June 24, 2024

So, what does Mayor Karen Bass have to say about the city of Los Angeles and the disgraceful events of Sunday? Her Twitter/X feed has nothing about it as of late Sunday night. What does presidential candidate wannabe Governor Gavin Newsom have to say about this? Zippity-doo-dah-jack. One of his more recent tweets is bitching about how Louisiana passed a law mandating the Ten Commandments be posted in school classrooms, and how they have “the worst crime rate in the nation.” Hmmmm, I don’t see scenes like this happening in Louisiana, Governor Hair Gel. And if the governor has not yet had a chance to glance over the anti-Semitism report out of Stanford University (tellingly titled “It’s in the Air”: Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias at Stanford, and How to Address It), well, he really shouldn’t be spending his time on worrying about what Louisiana does or doesn’t do. He’s got a FULL set of problems in his own state, as this report “unanimously” concludes that “antisemitism exists today on the Stanford campus in ways that are widespread and pernicious.” Huh. Stanford is in northern California, and Los Angeles is the hub of southern California. Methinks the problem that the governor has to deal with mayhap be widespread across his entire state!

But let’s forget about Bass and Newsom for a second. Where is Joe Biden? Surely he would want to condemn this brazen display of anti-Semitism in Los Angeles!

.@AndrewBatesNC Andy, sorry to interrupt your 6 long day debate preparation, but could you please retrieve the president from his restorative Kolto Tank so he can speak out against Jews being attacked at synagogues while he is the President?

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 24, 2024

Oh, that’s right. President Elderly Man with a Poor Memory is spending an entire WEEK at Camp David preparing for this coming Thursday’s debate, which includes… wait for it… STANDING UP FOR 90 MINUTES STRAIGHT. I wish I was kidding. So he’s DEFINITELY too busy to comment on this pogrom attempt in Los Angeles.

The pro-Hamas crowd is getting more brazen and more dangerous, and the Democrats are facing massive division within their own party with this obvious rise in anti-Semitism. Joe Biden is desperate to keep placate the mob in order to win Michigan – and if that means a synagogue in Los Angeles has a massive protest and people get attacked – oh well. I can’t wait to see how this hands-off pandering plays out in Chicago this August.

UPDATE 7:35 AM PDT
It looks like Mayor Bass decided to release a statement around 10:30 pm Pacific time last night – which would make it 1:30 am Eastern time. Why did it take her so long to release this tepid of a comment?

Today’s violence in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood today was abhorrent, and blocking access to a place of worship is unacceptable. I’ve called on LAPD to provide additional patrols in the Pico-Robertson community as well as outside of houses of worship throughout the city. I’ll be meeting with Chief Choi tomorrow to further discuss the safety of Angelenos.

I want to be clear that Los Angeles will not be a harbor for antisemitism and violence. Those responsible for either will be found and held accountable. I will be joining Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles Rabbi Noah Farkas and other law enforcement and faith leaders in a community meeting this week as we talk about steps forward, together.

If “those responsible” are going to be “help accountable,” then why wasn’t the LAPD arresting people right and left yesterday? Bad optics? Why talk to the “faith leaders” in Los Angeles? They didn’t do anything wrong, so is this just the mayor’s way of placating the Jewish community at large while completely ignoring WHO was doing the pogrom-ing?

Hi @MayorOfLA Karen Bass- why didn’t you name the violent group that was harassing the Jews? Why did you not have LAPD arrest any of them? Why did you allow this to happen in the first place since you had been made aware of it prior? https://t.co/LbDJMX67A2

— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) June 24, 2024

This looks like Karen Bass trying to cover her ass, while also trying to keep a lid on the situation and not make a big deal about it. Treat it like a “local” issue, and then it won’t get national attention, right?

UPDATE 9:00 AM PDT
Gavin Newsom also released a comment late last night under his official Twitter account. Someone did something bad. Naughty, naughty someones.

The violent clashes outside the Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles are appalling.

There is no excuse for targeting a house of worship. Such antisemitic hatred has no place in California.

— California Governor (@CAgovernor) June 24, 2024

Karen Bass looks positively loquacious compared to Newsom. He was more upset about Louisiana than this mini pogrom.

But now Joe Biden has weighed in – well, his Twitter/X account weighed in. He didn’t write this.

I’m appalled by the scenes outside of Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles. Intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic, and un-American.

Americans have a right to peaceful protest. But blocking access to a house of worship – and engaging in violence…

— President Biden (@POTUS) June 24, 2024

As others have pointed out, the Biden DOJ is busy sending elderly people to jail for impeding access to abortion clinics, so will those who did this (and WHO did this? No one seems to want to point out WHO was doing this) also face charges? Don’t hold your breath.

Featured photo: Los Angeles skyline via Nserrano on Wikimedia Commons, cropped, CC BY-SA 3.0