A hearing has been scheduled for December to address the potential default judgments against two individuals accused of participating in an attack on Jewish men and a non-Jewish photographer outside a restaurant in Beverly Grove in 2021. Photographer Mher Hagopian, who is of Armenian-American descent, has filed a lawsuit against Samer Jaylusi and Xavier Pabon in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging civil rights violations, assault, battery, conspiracy to commit assault, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Hagopian’s legal team filed court documents on June 30th seeking default judgments when the defendants failed to respond to the litigation. Judge Lynne M. Hobbs, after reviewing the default papers, has set a hearing for December 7th.
Attempts to reach representatives for Jaylusi and Pabon were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
A cellphone video captured the attack, which occurred on May 18, 2021, around 9:45 p.m., outside Sushi Fumi, a Japanese restaurant on North La Cienega Boulevard. The suit claims that a group of vehicles displaying Palestinian flags arrived with approximately two dozen passengers and megaphones.
“The objective of the convoy was simply to target Jews,” the lawsuit states. “Indeed, the vicinity of Sushi Fumi in Los Angeles is widely recognized as a prominent location for Jewish life.”
Hagopian had been hired to photograph an upcoming wedding for a Jewish friend. He and two Jewish friends of the future groom met outside Sushi Fumi for dinner to discuss the wedding plans, according to the lawsuit filed in March 2022.
The identities of most of the convoy passengers were concealed by hooded sweaters or other garments that partially or fully covered their faces, the lawsuit claims. They shouted anti-Semitic slurs, including “dirty Jew,” “Are you Jewish?,” “Are you Israeli?,” and “Be ashamed of yourselves.”
The lawsuit states that Hagopian’s friends, refusing to be intimidated, revealed that they were Jewish.
During the attack, at least one bottle was thrown from the convoy, striking Hagopian in the head, and another glass object shattered on the sidewalk near the restaurant patrons, according to the lawsuit.
“Chaos ensued,” the lawsuit states.
While other diners sought refuge inside the restaurant or fled the area, Hagopian and his friends were immediately targeted as they had no opportunity to escape, the lawsuit explains.
“At this point, Hagopian and his friends genuinely feared for their lives,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff grabbed a nearby stanchion that had cordoned off the outdoor dining area of Sushi Fumi and attempted to defend himself and protect his friends from the attackers.
According to the lawsuit, Jaylusi, Pabon, and at least four other individuals overpowered Hagopian, pushing him against a vehicle and assaulting him physically with punches and kicks, while also spraying him with an aerosol chemical.
“Hagopian’s brave actions prevented others from sustaining significant injuries,” the lawsuit states, which ultimately led Jaylusi, Pabon, and the others to retreat.
“As a result of this horrific incident, Hagopian, his friends, and the other diners were left physically and emotionally battered,” the lawsuit details.
The suit further asserts that Hagopian suffered emotional distress, embarrassment, humiliation, and damage to his reputation due to the attack. Many religious leaders, as well as then-Mayor Eric Garcetti, condemned the incident.
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