"My issue with this (West Asheville-based, anarchist-driven, pro-Palestinian) movement is that it’s genocidal (against Jews) in its intent,” Jewish activist David Moritz of Asheville told the Daily Planet in a July 26 telephone interview.

Moritz spoke to the newspaper at length after having spent nearly a month pondering what had happened that fateful afternoon.

He was one of three Asheville seminar observers who — reportedly — were trapped, beaten and then dragged out of  the conference room of the West Asheville Library during a June 29 program — promoted as free and open to the public — on “Strategic Lessons From the Palestinian Resistance.” 

Regarding the overarching message at the seminar, he told the Daily Planet, “It’s one thing to be anti-Israel, which is bad enough, but these people are saying they’re anti-Zionists — meaning they’re against anyone who supports Israel for any reason -— so it’s a very antisemitic message. It’s creating discrimination for your beliefs.”

So how did it come about that Moritz and his two friends and fellow activists attended the Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair-sponsored seminar at the West Asheville Library? the Daily Planet asked.

In response, Moritz began by noting, “For the last few months, I’ve been speaking at (Asheville) City Council meetings about antisemitism in Asheville — and (against) pro-Hamas protests that often are genocidal and antisemitic” in tone.

In turn, he said, “They (the pro-Palestinian group) have been coming to City Council, seeking a resolution” in support of the Palestinians — and critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

During one of the recent council meetings, Moritz noted, “Someone told me that they (ACAB) were going to have this ‘event’ at the West Asheville Library. I thought it would be interesting to see what they’re teaching there. We called the library and we were told that all programs there are free and open to the public... I had seen advertisements that it (the ACAB seminar) would be ‘friendly.’

“I was very curious about it from the title ‘Lessons From the Palestinian Resistance.’... I had met Monica (Buckley) and Bob (Campbell) in the course of our activism against antisemitism (around Asheville) — I met Monica (who is Jewish) at the City Council meetings. I met Bob (who is not Jewish) through her... I sent a message to the group” of fellow pro-Israel supporters in Asheville, expressing concern about the topic of the seminar — and said, “Hey, this is happening, and if anybody wanted” to attend the seminar with him, then let him know.

Both Buckley and Campbell responded that they would be interested in attending the seminar with Moritz. He then reiterated that “Bob is not Jewish, but he is fighting antisemitism.”

All three of them have roots in Asheville, Moritz said, noting that “I’ve been here for 11 years. Monica used to live here in the ‘90s, moved away and then moved back... Bob is from the area, a (U.S.) Naval veteran and 79 years old. He turns 80 on Sept. 29. Bob is currently fighting stage three cancer!”

As for the significance of the June 29 seminar, he said, “This would be my first in-door seminar that was pro-Palestinian.”

Moritz added that “I watched pro-Hamas (demonstrations) in November outdoors in downtown Asheville. What got to me was that their chants were not peaceful,” despite their stated aspirations for peace in the Middle East.

“I’m a son of a Holocaust survivor,” he said, “I’m all for free speech, but I’m against hate speech.”

On a recent trip out west, Moritz said, “I also did it (attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration) at UCLA — and saw the encampment and everything....”

Following the attack at the library, he said, “So far, most of my interactions have been with the police and the (APD) detective” handling the case. (Moritz did not name the detective.) 

”And I’m pleased with how seriously the APD is taking this issue. On the police side, I feel very supported. And my understanding is the (Buncombe County) DA (District AttorneyTodd Williams) jointly came up with the ‘ethnic intimidation’ charge. I’m pleased with that.”

What’s more, Moritz asserted, “My focus was mostly on the pro-Hamas protesters.”

So, as a Jew, would Moritz feel safe to visit Firestorm Books, billed as “a radical bookstore co-operative and community event space” in West Asheville — and just a block from the West Asheville Library? the Daily Planet asked.

“Believe it or not, about a year ago, I walked around Firestorm Books and browsed” Moritz replied. “It seemed like (the store stocked) a lot of ‘angry’ books. There was a whole section of books about Palestine. I looked to see if there were any books on the Jewish perspective — I never found anything.” 

So, in general, does Moritz, as a Jew, experience safety concerns around Asheville?

“As for being a Jewish person downtown, I don’t feel particularly unsafe,” Moritz answered.

After a pause, he added, “Now, because I’m outspoken and after this incident at the library” and the resulting publicity, “I feel a little concerned because I feel like I’m a target. In terms of being outspoken, since January... There’s obviously some sort of fear. People (who are Jewish) are afraid of speaking out because of being targeted by this group. Jewish people in schools are being made targets. People (who are Jewish) tell me that they are being targeted and harrassed. They (opponents) are trying to force Jewish people to take the side of Hamas.”

More specifically, Moritz said, “The greater (safety) risk for me would be in West Asheville and downtown — except for the fact that I am now known by this group... I don’t feel there’s a physical threat to the Jews (in Asheville). That’s why I speak out. But there’s definitely a fear” of being ostracized for being Jewish. 

So exactly what happened at the June 29 seminar? the Daily Planet asked.

“I can honestly tell you that I was there purely to hear what they were talking about,” Moritz replied. “I felt very strongly” that it would be safe, “being in a public library... It wasn’t until we were 10 minutes ‘in’ (from the seminar’s start), when we saw them starting to block the door. 

“We were very quiet through the entire event. You can even hear Monica telling Bob ‘to be quiet — and be calm.’ It (the library) is also next door to the police station. I mean — I knew we weren’t there to provoke” a fight.

“They asked us to put on masks — and we put on masks. We sat together on the far wall. Our intention was purely to watch. If I had thought there was any intention to provoke, I never would have invited Bob to attend. He’s a 79-year-old man suffering from cancer.... (Moritz noted that all of the regular seminar attendees wore masks the entire time they were there.) 

“By the way, the last time they (the pro-Palestinian group) were having a protest in Pack Square, we kept our distance... I thought this was the same pro-Hamas people I had encountered…. But these anarchists, Antifa — I’m now aware that some of these movements are together… and are antisemitic...

“They (at the June 29 seminar) claimed our presence, in itself, was ‘incitement,’ so that shows how hateful they are toward our movement...

“We were there and we were listening and, right off the bat, it was pretty violent rhetoric” they were hearing from the seminar speaker. 

Moritz added, the speaker said, “Let’s have a moment of silence for our martyrs (Hamas fighters in Gaza). Then he was glorifying terrorism. We found that so interesting that we should record it. So Monica started livestreaming — and I started doing it as well. It was a public meeting in a public library,” so Moritz did not think livestreaming the event would be a problem for anyone.

However, he noted, “at one point, the speaker said, ‘Oh, this will be on video, that’s OK!” But then some people in the crowd  said, ‘Oh no, they’re Zionists!’ It was that we allegedly were Zionists that caused provocation.” 

Rhetorically, Moritz asked, “Is that provocation because we’re Jews (or Zionists) — or because we have a different opinion? To attack us for either reason is wrong... I believe Israel is the ‘homeland’ for Jews. These people are putting different and negative characteristics on Jews...”

He reiterated that some of the seminar attendees shouted, “‘Oh, so there are Zionists here!’ Then they kind of talked among themselves what to do. Then some in the crowd said, ‘We don’t want them here.’ Finally, the speaker shouted, “Let’s ‘decolonize’ them from the Zionists!’

“The larger of the men came toward us, clapping their hands right in front of us. Bob stood up briefly. They put furniture in front of us. At one point, a woman grabbed Monica’s phone, which is a felony and you have a right to retrieve your phone. So she (Monica) chased (the thief) and got it back — and they (the seminar attendees) beat her...

“After hitting us, they were kicking Monica on the ground… They were taking (dragging) me out of the library, but I was able to get free in the lobby. I found Bob on the floor next to me. And I checked how he was. My main concern was to stay upright in the lobby, I was in a position to defend myself and kept them (his atttackers) off. An Asheville Citizen Times’ article said someone from the library called the police,” and the APD eventually showed up as everyone was leaving the library.

During the beatings, “there was a librarian who came to look to see what was happening. She was maybe in her early 30s — and did not say or do anything. There was no expression on her face....

“They pushed Bob on the ground. And they were hitting him in some way... There’s another (news) account, where I said, “He’s 80 years old — and they said, ‘We don’t care about your f------g age!’” as they continued beating his elderly friend.

“At some point, they managed to push me out of the library and someone managed to put me in a ‘full-nelson’ headlock. I got out of it. I told the police that a man (later identified as Michael Brocentos) put me in a headlock. The policeman told me to sit down....”

As for the APD, which arrived as the melee was ending, “unfortunately, they didn’t get everybody’s ID.”

Afterward, “I had a little bit of an issue with my left eye. It’s getting better now. Monica has some issues with her left hand — she still has it in a brace). Bob has some blood in his ear, but we don’t know” if that is from his cancer or from the beating he received at the seminar” 

So do you plan to attend future pro-Palestinian meetings around Asheville? the Daily Planet asked.

“I’m going to continue to be an activist for Jewish rights and continue to be an activist for Israel,” Moritz replied. “I will not be intimidated by this group, but at the same time my primary concern is for the safety of this community. The bullying must stop. More importantly, the library should provide security for such events, so maybe I will” attend more pro-Palestinian events in the Asheville area.