(Jewish Group) Man arrested following attack on Jewish child in Los Angeles [View all]

[Behind the Aegis]

A man was taken into custody Wednesday after allegedly punching a 12-year-old Jewish boy in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles, which is home to many Jewish businesses.

Daniel Rankin, 50, was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of alleged battery . The boy was not taken to a hospital, though an ambulance was on the scene, according to the LAPD.

Some merchants in the area identified the man as a vagrant familiar to many in the neighborhood, according to news reports.

“We are outraged over reports of a violent assault on a Jewish child while playing with his friends and thank @LAPD for investigating,” the Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles tweeted. “We have seen a significant rise in antisemitism in recent weeks and are working with community organizations and law enforcement to stop the hate.”

L.A.-based Jewish journalist Eve Barlow said on Twitter that a friend of hers was near the scene of the attack. “A man punched a visibly Jewish child in the face while he was playing on scooters with his friends,” Barlow tweeted. “A friend of mine confronted him before he was arrested and another man came to the guy’s defense and said he wanted to kill the boy’s entire Jewish family.”

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