While trying to escort an elderly Jewish couple away from a pro-Palestine rally, two Turning Point USA (TPUSA) staffers were viciously attacked by a group of violent anti-Israel activists.
The incident took place in the heavily Jewish Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois, on Sunday, according to the organization. Footage of the shocking attack was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter — showing one of the TPUSA staffers being beaten by several individuals, including one who hit him with a flagpole.
Yesterday, a pro-Palestine mob attacked a Christian man in Skokie, Illinois. You didn’t hear about this because it doesn’t fit the narrative.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 23, 2023
TPUSA staffer Peter Christos explained the incident in a post on X, writing: “Yesterday in Skokie, myself & @TPUSA coworker were violently attacked by Pro-Hamas protestors while trying to escort a lost, elderly Jewish couple to the Pro-Israel event. I was punched repeatedly, kicked in the head, and hit with a flagpole. This is being Pro-Israel in 2023.”
Yesterday in Skokie, myself & @TPUSA coworker were violently attacked by Pro-Hamas protestors while trying to escort a lost, elderly Jewish couple to the Pro-Israel event.
I was punched repeatedly, kicked in the head, and hit with a flagpole.
This is being Pro-Israel in 2023. pic.twitter.com/IYRePuiPxX
— Peter Christos (@peterchristos) October 23, 2023
In a statement to Breitbart News, TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet explained that Christos and the other staffer were “trying to do a good deed” after witnessing an elderly Jewish couple being “turned away from an over-capacity pro-Israel event.”
Kolvet pointed out that his colleagues had just wanted to help keep the elderly couple “safe from a gathering pro-Palestine crowd outside the event.”
“They’re not even Jewish, but Christians who stand with Israel,” the TPUSA spokesperson added. “It’s absolutely unacceptable that America has violent mobs terrorizing Jews, their Christian friends, and pro-Israel gatherings.”
According to Kolvet, TPUSA plans to push for prosecution of the violent activists because the attack was “a hate crime.”
This incident is just the latest escalation in the widespread pro-Palestine, anti-Israel movement spreading across the United States in the aftermath of the horrific Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7. Pro-Palestine activists have even gone so far as to express support for Hamas and celebrate the murder of 1,400 Israelis — prompting concerns of potential antisemitic violence.
There have been several other instances of violence at pro-Palestine rallies in the U.S. and across the world, including a demonstration in New York City where demonstrators clashed with police and set several small fires. At least two dozen activists were arrested during the fight.
Chaos at a Pro-Palestinian protest in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn.
Cops are sparring with and arresting protesters. #HamasTerrorAttacks #ProHamas #protest @NYPDnews @BayRidge11209 #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/fSkjiyqA4X— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 22, 2023
