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Pro-Palestinian attacker attacked pro-Israel veteran and shot him in the stomach

A pro-Israel veterans protester was arrested and charged with assault after shooting at a man wearing a Palestinian badge who charged across the street and attacked him in Newton, Massachusetts, on Thursday night, according to footage obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire.

The man wearing the badge stood across from ten pro-Israel protesters, calling them “sick” and claiming they were “defending genocide.”

Scott Hayes, 47, an Iraq War veteran from Framingham, Massachusetts, was about to leave the protest when the man began yelling at the group and giving them the middle finger, according to The Daily Wire. The man then stormed across the street, pushed his way through traffic and threw Hayes to the ground.

Seconds later, a shot is said to have been fired from the gun and the attacker was shot in the stomach as the two lay on the ground.

As seen in the video, Hayes placed the gun on the ground behind him and the other protesters separated the two. Hayes told bystanders to call 911 and administered first aid to the man's wounds.

According to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, Hayes has since been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing personal injury.

In a press conference, Ryan said the investigation was still in its very early stages. “This individual at some point began to cross the street and eventually encountered one of the protesters and jumped on him. A scuffle ensued and during that scuffle the individual was shot.”

Hayes will be arraigned on Saturday, Ryan added.

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Ryan also confirmed that the attacker suffered life-threatening injuries and was being treated at a local hospital.

Police Chief George McMains said the district would provide additional security at places of worship in the coming days.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller called the incident “frightening” and asked the public to give police a chance to “set the record straight.”

Ryan said Hayes owned the gun legally, but other protesters and witnesses believed he acted in self-defense.

Hayes was protesting as part of a pro-Israel group in Massachusetts that wanted to raise awareness about the hostages and the problems facing the Iranian regime.

Witnesses claim the shot was self-defense

Aidin, a pro-Israel Iranian who was present at the incident and leads the group From Boston to Iran, said: “I saw him reaching out his hand to the veteran and trying to get closer until I heard the shot.”

“We have seen such incidents many times and nothing like this has ever happened. I was shocked when the man ran across the street and had no idea why he would do that.”

Aidan added that he did not know why the man attacked Hayes, but claimed the man who was shot was in stable condition.

Dave Sherman, a witness, said WCVB “At some point in that scuffle, a shot was fired, but this guy was really hard to beat. He was really determined. He was really hateful.”

The Anti Defamation League said on X that it was aware of the incident in which “an anti-Israel protester was shot after running across the street and violently tackling a pro-Israel protester to the ground.”

The ADL added that it was concerned that charges were brought against Hayes immediately before the investigation was completed and called on Newton police and the Middlesex District Attorney to conduct a “thorough investigation of the entire incident.”

Scott Hayes was one of the event's organizers, according to the Facebook page. His profile picture also shows him wearing an “I am a Zionist” T-shirt, a “Bring Them Home” dog tag, and a yellow hostage pin. He is seen holding an American and Israeli flag.

On July 22, Hayes posted: “Many Americans don’t know this, but we have 8 [American] Hostages are being held by the terrorist Hamas and our president allows it to continue. He has the power to bring them home, but he won't. Bring our hostages home!”



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