Brawling at the LA Sushi Restaurant could be described as an anti-Semitic hate crime

A disturbing video quickly spread over social media overnight showing a large group dressed in all black driving a vehicle streaming a Palestinian flag attacking diners at a sushi restaurant in the West Hollywood area. The disturbing incident ctured from multiple videos angledepicts an all-out battle in and around the dining area on the sidewalk of Sushi Fumi on La Cienega.

From CBS LA and others reportedly investigating the incident as a possible anti-Semitic hate crime after some witnesses said the group specifically asked for Jewish people to identify themselves in the crowd. A diner also said the alleged attackers could be seen throwing glass bottles and shouting anti-Semitic rhetoric. For NBC LAPolice are investigating the incident, which occurred around 10 p.m. last night, and medics treated some people at the scene, although none were seriously injured. Eater called the restaurant to discuss the incident, but no one answered.

The May 18 attack comes at a time of heightened national and international concern Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. Protests recently took place at the Israeli Consulate in West Los Angeles, although this latest incident at Sushi Fumi appears to be the first direct physical altercation on the ground as a result of Israeli-Palestinian tensions. Per Vox::

The current outbreak of fighting started with one Series of controversial Israeli actions in Jerusalem – including the attempt to displace Palestinian families in East Jerusalem by right-wing Jewish settlers, an Israeli police operation against Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and a planned provocative march by far-right Israelis – which prompted Hamas to fire a barrage of rockets in Jerusalem and other major cities in Israel. Israel responded with devastating air strikes in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Both sides continued their back and forth attacks for days, resulting in hundreds of deaths and widespread property damage, mostly but not exclusively on the Palestinian side, and the destruction of the Al Jazeera and Gaza media offices