Seattle police arrested a man accused of attacking a 71-year-old Jew while hurling antisemitic slurs, calling him a “Zionist pig.”
An appalling antisemitic assault has shaken Seattle, where a 71-year-old Jewish man was viciously attacked in broad daylight — allegedly for tearing down a poster related to Gaza. The Seattle Police Department has confirmed the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
The assault occurred around 1:30 p.m. on Alaskan Way, in the western part of the city. Responding officers found the elderly victim bleeding heavily from the mouth with swollen lips, according to the official police report.
Witnesses told investigators that the attacker, who was walking two dogs, approached the Jewish man aggressively after seeing him tear up the Gaza-related poster. A heated exchange ensued, during which the suspect screamed “Zionist pig!” before striking the elderly man in the head.
In a desperate act of self-defense, the victim managed to spray his attacker with pepper spray, momentarily stopping the assault until police arrived. Officers swiftly detained the suspect, who now faces serious hate crime charges under Washington State law.
Detectives later determined that the sole motive behind the attack was the victim’s Jewish identity, confirming a disturbing rise in antisemitic violence amid ongoing tensions over the Israel–Hamas war.
The incident has sparked outrage within Seattle’s Jewish community, with local advocacy groups demanding stronger law enforcement action against hate crimes targeting Jews. “No one should be attacked for being Jewish — not in Israel, not in America,” one community leader said, condemning the wave of imported hatred spreading through Western cities.
The suspect remains in custody as prosecutors prepare formal charges. Police have vowed “zero tolerance” toward antisemitic violence.
