Two Jewish men were beaten outside a restaurant in San Jose after they were heard speaking Hebrew, in an incident police are investigating as a possible hate crime, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The assault took place at Santana Row outside the Augustine restaurant. Witness footage shows three individuals attacking the victims while bystanders attempted to intervene.
One of the victims, who asked not to be identified, told local media that the attack began suddenly. “I just turned around, and they literally started punching,” he said. “We got swarmed very badly. I’m in a lot of pain. I still cannot chew. My jaw hurts, my back is hurting.”
According to reports, the two men had been waiting to be seated at the restaurant when the confrontation began. Witnesses said the attackers shouted phrases including “Don’t mess with Iran,” while one victim reported hearing “F the Jews” during the assault.
One of the victims was knocked unconscious and later required stitches. Both men were briefly hospitalised following the attack.
The San Jose Police Department is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
The Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council identified the victims as Israeli Americans and condemned the attack.
Local political leaders also responded. US Congressman Sam Liccardo, who previously served as mayor of San Jose, said that violence against Jewish and Israeli community members affects the entire community.
“Violence targeting any members of our community — including our Jewish and Israeli community members — amounts to an attack on all of us,” Liccardo said in a statement.
San Jose’s current mayor also condemned the incident, stating that antisemitism and all forms of hatred have no place in the city. City officials said they remain in contact with police and Jewish community leaders as the investigation continues.
The case comes amid broader concerns about rising antisemitic incidents in the United States since 2023, including assaults, vandalism and harassment targeting Jewish individuals and institutions.
Photo credit: Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
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