On Tuesday June 25, 2024: Variety published an article about the Pico-Robertson pro-Palestine protest against an Israeli real estate event illegally selling stolen Palestinian land. The article left out key details about the incident and allowed a pro-Israel agitator who was caught on video instigating fights help dictate the skewed and dishonest narrative, falsely portraying the pro-Palestine protesters as antisemitic. I publicly issued corrections on this aspect of the piece via social media. At the end of the article, a post I made on Instagram is mentioned:
As temperatures rise in the summer months, so too are tensions. And few expect things to normalize anytime soon. On one private WhatsApp chain popular with Hollywood Jews, participants were sharing an Instagram story from UCLA’s Cultural Affairs Commission, a student organization at the university that traditionally has been a feeder school to the industry. The story, a repost of a message written by Vishal P. Singh, a videographer who works on Netflix documentaries, illustrates the stark difference in perspectives on the Israel-Gaza conflict. “Think about what happened today in Los Angeles. A real estate event to sell stolen Palestinian land cannot be protested or fascists will try to kill you,” Singh wrote. “LAPD threatening to execute pro-Palestine protestors at gun point. Zionists getting away with terrorist violence with impunity. We are in a cold civil war that is heating up rapidly. Prepare accordingly. Take a stop the bleed class. Learn how to use weapons safely. Save up for bullet proof armor. The genocide is not far away. It’s here. The heart of the empire is here. It’s our duty to fight and stop it by any means necessary.” Neither UCLA nor Singh responded to a request for comment.
This article was published at 9:58 A.M. The author messaged me asking for comment on Instagram at 5:43 A.M. I work night shifts and was not awake during that short window. Here is the full, unedited response I shared with Variety once I woke up and read the article:
During the protest against the illegal sale of stolen Palestinian land in Los Angeles over the weekend, we saw LAPD officers aiming multiple handguns at a pro-Palestinian family and their small child. We saw bloody brawls instigated by the pro-Israel side, as reported by independent journalists on the ground. Around the country, we see spiking anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hate crimes with lethal outcomes, even against children.
I think it’s very important for people who advocate for Palestinian human rights and liberation to take their safety and self defense seriously when faced with such violence. If people are aiming real, lethal firearms at you for supporting Palestine, things like bullet proof armor become essential.
After the Kyle Rittenhouse fatal shooting of Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, I started wearing a bullet proof vest when filming protests. During that time, I was shot by LAPD with a beanbag 12 gauge shotgun— despite having a press pass clearly displayed, having my hands raised, and complying with police demands.
Political tensions are rising in the United States and violence by police and private citizens against social justice activists has become normalized. I am proud to use my platform to oppose the genocide in Palestine and advocate for the rights of pro-Palestinian protesters to be able to safely work to end the killing of Palestinian civilians by whatever means necessary.
The United States plays a key role in this genocide, and I believe those of us who live in this country have a responsibility to stand against these atrocities done in our name with our tax dollars. As someone who grew up bullied for their skin color, I have always stood against racism, religious discrimination, and hate crimes. And I will continue to do so.
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