Elderly Man and Residents Attacked at West Asheville Library Event

Photo of author
Written By Lori Walker

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur pulvinar ligula augue quis venenatis. 

Three Asheville residents, including an elderly man, spoke to News 13 about being attacked during an event called “Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair” on Saturday, June 29.

David Moritz, Monica Buckley, and Bob Campbell went to the West Asheville Library for a session titled “Strategic Lessons from the Palestinian Resistance.” They estimated there were 60 to 80 people present.

Moritz and Buckley, who are Jewish, attended to learn more about the event in their community. Buckley livestreamed the session out of concern for their safety.

After about half an hour, someone announced that the session was being livestreamed. When it was noted as a “positivity stream,” attendees identified Moritz and Buckley as Zionists and began discussing how to handle their presence.

Buckley recounted that someone grabbed her phone while she was recording, prompting her to try to retrieve it. This led to a violent altercation involving dozens of people hitting, punching, and stomping on them.

Campbell, a Navy veteran fighting cancer, intervened but was pushed down despite his age and health condition. Moritz also tried to help but was assaulted as well, sustaining bruises and injuries.

Eventually, police arrived after viewers of Buckley’s livestream called for help. The library initially did not contact the police, but eventually, a librarian called 911.

Moritz mentioned further violence in the library lobby, and a police report has been filed. The incident has sparked discussions about addressing violence and antisemitism in Asheville.

Leave a Comment