An unidentified man shouting antisemitic slurs and “Fuck Israel” attacked participants in a pro-Israel rally Tuesday afternoon, attempting to kick demonstrators before police arrived.

The incident occurred between 4:00 and 5:00PM at the intersection of Park Avenue and Reservoir Avenue as members of the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI) held a peaceful demonstration supporting Israel, the Iranian people, and the United States.

“Sadly, this violent behavior and hateful rhetoric towards Jewish and pro-Israel people is far too common in our current state of heightened Jew-hatred (antisemitism) in America. With the constant overflow of myths and misinformation about Israel and the Jewish people prevalent in our media outlets and social media, it is no surprise that people get radicalized towards hate,” said Maria Friedman, Executive Director of RICI.

The man, clearly enraged, repeatedly tried to assault rally participants while yelling antisemitic and anti-Israel remarks, according to organizers and video recorded during the attack. According to the statement, he targeted a young female supporter by grabbing and tearing her Israeli flag, then attempted to push another woman, and kick others present. No one was injured.

Friedman continued, “Unfortunately, blatant lies that demonize Israel and the Jewish people as the enemy or evil radicalize some in the way we saw with this man in Cranston. RICI and our supporters who stand for truth and democratic Western values have every right to peacefully assemble on our streets without the threat of violence. I am grateful that my colleagues and RICI supporters protected each other and that no one was hurt.”

 

 

According to organizers, police were notified and worked to de-escalate the situation. Despite this, the attacker still paced across the street for about 20 minutes before leaving the area, continuously yelling slurs and giving the middle finger to the demonstrators. The man was not immediately identified, and no arrests were reported.

“This incident highlights how hateful, anti-Israel and antisemitic beliefs have radicalized some individuals to turn to violence,” a statement from the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel said.

The group had gathered with Israeli, American and pre-1979 Iranian flags — the latter symbolizing opposition to Iran’s current regime. Organizers called for the overthrow of the Islamic government and the elimination of its nuclear capabilities, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a threat to U.S. economic, military and existential security. Iran has chanted “death to Israel” and “death to America” since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, they noted.

The coalition, a statewide grassroots organization of Jews and Christians  focused on combating antisemitism and supporting Israel, described the rally as pro-Israel, pro-American, and in solidarity with the Iranian people’s efforts to replace their government.