North Carolina Still Seeking Nine Who Beat Pro-Israel Citizens At Public Library

Police in North Carolina are investigating after arresting one person and seeking others for questioning. This followed a violent assault on Jews on June 29 at public library in Asheville. Esther Manheimer and Mike Lamb, respectively mayor and police chief of Asheville, issued statements deploring the attack. 

Manheimer released a statement saying that the public deserves “the right to enter any community spaces with a feeling of security.” She said, “We will not tolerate violence, either against or carried out in our community…We will continue to do so and not be cowed by individuals resorting to violence. In my role as mayor, I can see and hear the pain permeating throughout our community both from those working to support those suffering and dying in Gaza as well as those in anguish for the loss of Jewish lives and the hostages still being held captive.” She is a member of the local Jewish community.

Police chief Lamb said that his department remains “steadfast in our commitment to reducing all acts of violence in our community, particularly those targeting vulnerable groups like our Jewish Community. Our detectives are actively investigating this incident to ensure those responsible are held accountable for their actions.” Saying that he is cooperating with the district attorney’s office, he called on citizens to help identify the offenders. 

Asheville police have arrested one person and published photos of nine others sought for questioning after three persons, two of whom are Jewish, were beaten and dragged out of the West Asheville Library by anti-Israel protesters on June 29. All three of those injured are pro-Israel. The two Jewish victims are David Moritz, 54, and Monica Buckley, 48, while 79-year-old Bob Campbell was also assaulted. Approximately 60 to 80 anti-Israel agitators were in attendance.

Writing on social media, Moritz posted, “All three of us have met separately at police HQ to go over footage of the attack from the library cameras in order to identify the violent perpetrators.” According to The Algemeiner, the Major Case Unit of local police are working hard on the case.  Moritz is the son of Holocaust survivors.

On June 29, the “Strategic Lessons From the Palestinian Resistance” event was sponsored by Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair at the West Asheville public library, which was just one of several sessions directed against Israel during a three-day anarchist book fair. Attending activists praised Hamas terrorists, who attacked Israel on October 7, killing and raping 1,200 people and kidnapping 250. 

On June 29, Buckley, Campbell, and Moritz were seated along a far wall at the library. A presenter stopped the event to say that the event was being live-streamed by “Zionists.” Buckley was indeed live-streaming. The presenter then pointed out the three pro-Israel attendees, asking the audience how to deal with “Zionists,” joking about the proposed of a “murder here.” 

Multiple people told the trio to leave, shouting “bye,” while one said, “They are not f—king welcome here,” and another said, “I don’t trust them.” Soon, several men surrounded the three pro-Israel persons, clapping their hands in their faces and chanting “Free Palestine.” When Buckley’s phone was stolen by one of her assailants, she tried to retrieve it and was then attacked, as were Campbell and Moritz. They were then assaulted and dragged out of the library, which is visible on video.

On the website of Another Carolina Anarchist Book Fair, a statement read: "On the afternoon of June 29, two well-known fascists—Monica Buckley and real estate developer David Moritz—attended a bookfair session at the West Asheville Public Library. Their intentions in being at “Strategic Lessons from the Palestinian Resistance” were not benign; they were there to provoke a conflict and sell a false narrative that the Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair is an antisemitic event. This is a pattern of behavior locally and elsewhere. For instance, David has attempted to force his way into Palestinian solidarity encampments at the University of California in Los Angeles and here in Asheville with the goal of inciting conflict."