A demonstrator at a pro-Israel rally in Newton, Massachusetts, has been charged with shooting a pro-Palestinian activist who rushed and tackled him.
Police said they would increase security around houses of worship after the incident.
The incident was caught on video on Thursday evening and posted by a reporter for the Daily Wire, a conservative news outlet. It involved a man shouting charges of genocide at the pro-Israel rally, and then rushing across the street and tackling a participant in the rally. A shot is fired, and then the pro-Palestinian activist attempts to stands up, bloodied in the gut.
At a press conference following the incident with the mayor and police officials, Marian Ryan, the Middlesex County district attorney, recounted the details of the altercation and said the shooting victim had suffered life threatening injuries and was hospitalized.
The pro-Palestinian activist “ultimately came across and jumped upon one of the demonstrators,” Ryan said. “A scuffle ensued. During that scuffle, the individual who had come across the street was shot by a member of the demonstrating group.”
Ryan identified the alleged shooter as Scott Hayes, 47, from Framingham, and said he was under arrest. “He, right now, is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing injury,” she said.
Hayes was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday. Ryan’s office and Newton police did not answer multiple requests from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency as to whether the shooting victim was being charged for his role in the fight.
Newton, a suburb of Boston, is home to a large Jewish community. The intersection where the rally took place is about a mile from an area with multiple synagogues.
This is not the first time physical clashes have ensued at rallies surrounding the Israel-Hamas war. A month after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, a Jewish man died after a pro-Palestinian protester struck him in the head with a megaphone. This year, multiple other clashes have occurred between demonstrators in Los Angeles, including at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The New England branch of the Anti-Defamation League expressed concern about the rush to charge Hayes.
“Reports that charges were immediately filed prior to completion of the investigation are concerning,” it said in a statement. “Protests should not subject anyone to violence. We encourage Newton Police and the Middlesex District Attorney to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire incident.”
Alan Dershowitz, the constitutional scholar known for his pro-Israel advocacy, said he was concerned about whether Hayes would be treated fairly. “They rushed to judgement against the man who was the victim of the assault and they didn’t charge the other man,” said Dershowitz, who noted that he has not been asked to take a role in the case. “They should have charged him immediately. Self-defense is complicated but assault is not.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser for Hayes’ defense identified him as a non-Jewish Iraq war veteran who was involved in Newton-area pro-Israel activities. It had raised more than $109,000 of a $180,000 target as of Friday afternoon. A statement on the fundraising page did not explicitly say Hayes shot the man, though it said he tried to help the shooting victim after the shot was fired.
“As Scott was about to leave, a young man wearing a Palestinian flag pin started shouting from the other side of the street to Scott and other protests in the area,” the statement said. “This person suddenly ran across the street, charged Scott, attacked him and tackled him to the ground. Scott was wrestling with him when a gun went off. As soon as Scott noticed his assailant was hurt he provided emergency medical treatment.”
At the press conference, the acting police chief, George McMains, said police would beef up their presence in coming days.
“The Newton police department will be providing extra patrols at the houses of worship over the next several days, as well as beyond, if we feel that’s appropriate or necessary,” he said. He appealed for more witnesses to come forward.
The Boston area Jewish Community Relations Council said the offices of Ryan and of Newton’s mayor, Ruthanne Fuller, had been in touch to brief them on the incident.
Fuller at the press conference offered trauma counseling to residents affected by the incident. “I ask everyone to remain calm,” she said.
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