Police seek protester accused of assualting woman, burning her Israeli flag in El Cerrito
El Cerrito police released photos of a man accused of shoving a woman to the ground and burning her Israeli flag during a demonstration on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (El Cerrito Police Department)
EL CERRITO, Calif. - Police were seeking the public’s help in locating a suspect wanted for assaulting a woman and burning her Israeli flag during a demonstration in El Cerrito over the Israel-Hamas war.
Investigators said it happened on Saturday, after a group of ceasefire demonstrators, as well as a group of counter-demonstrators, marched from Albany into El Cerrito.
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The demonstration then spilled into the street at San Pablo Avenue and Carlson Boulevard, as protesters blocked traffic.
Police said a small group of counter-protesters were standing on the sidewalk holding Israeli flags when the demonstration escalated and got violent.
"Many callers reported pushing and shoving, and language they deemed threatening," investigators said, adding, "But one incident in particular was clearly of a criminal nature."
They said a male protester proceeded to push a woman to the ground, causing her to suffer a minor injury. He then forcefully grabbed her Israeli flag from her hands and then burned it in the street, according to investigators.
Police released photos of the suspect who had a scarf around his face and was wearing a distinctive looking jean jacket, with colorful fabric on the upper sleeves.
They said the incident was being treated as a hate crime.
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"The El Cerrito Police Department supports the constitutional rights of all people to freedom of speech and assembly," investigators said. "However, when these acts become criminal, they will be thoroughly investigated and presented to the District Attorney's Office for review and prosecution when appropriate," police added.
They asked witnesses, anyone who may have captured video evidence, or anyone who can identify the suspect to contact the El Cerrito Police Department at 510-215-4417 or via email at investigations@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.
El Cerrito police said a male protester shoved a woman to the ground and burned her Israeli flag during a protest on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Photos released by police showed the suspect's face covered with a scarf and wearing a distinctive looking je (El Cerrito Police Department)
El Cerrito police were seeking to identify a man suspected in a hate crime on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (El Cerrito Police Department)