Virginia brothers arrested for antisemitic assault
Two brothers from the Appalachian Trail town of Damascus, Virginia, were arrested after they were captured on video yelling antisemitic comments at a man wearing a Star of David.
The incident occurred on Monday outside of Hey Joe’s, a restaurant owned by the father of the suspects, Joseph Killian, 33, and Henry Killian II, 35, the Bristol Herald Courier reported.
Craig Johnston, who reportedly was hiking the trail, filmed the encounter and posted it to social media. Damascus Police told the Herald Courier that Johnston told police he planned to buy marijuana from the brothers. Johnston maintains in comments on Facebook that he only stopped at the restaurant to eat when the brothers noticed his Star of David.
The town’s mayor, Jack McCrady, said in a Facebook post that while Johnston, whom he called the “not so innocent victim,” did not press charges against the brothers, the town did based on the video.
“Nothing can justify the hideous statements by those involved. This does not represent Damascus or our citizens,” he wrote in the post. The mayor said the restaurant is due to close at the end of the month.
The men were charged with disorderly conduct and assault, and have not been given bail. They are scheduled to appear in court again on November 6. Joseph Killian also was charged with assault and battery, for appearing to strike Johnston or his phone during the filmed encounter. Police say that no drugs exchanged hands, according to the Herald Courier.
In the video, the brothers tell Johnston that he “should be in a f ***** ’ Jewish oven and die like your ancestors.” They also call him “Jewish scum” and tell him he is not welcome in the restaurant. They also threaten to “come and find you later.”
Though Johnston reportedly removed the video from his Facebook page at the request of the mayor, it remained on a video streaming site, and on Reddit, and was posted on YouTube. (JTA)