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Thursday, June 27-July 03, 2024
Bass vows more security, proactive policing in response to synagogue clash
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'Unbroken Blossoms' at East West Players explores authenticity and representation By May s. Ruiz
By City News Service
mayrchu56@gmailcom
A
fter a violent clash between Palestinian and Israeli supporters outside a synagogue in the Pico-Robertson district, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has outlined steps being taken to prevent any recurrences — including more funding for security at houses of worship, a motion that was expected to be introduced at Tuesday's City Council meeting and expanded partnerships between police and Jewish public-safety organizations. The Los Angeles Police Department stepped up its presence outside synagogues and other houses of worship Monday in response to the clash, which occurred around 10:50 a.m. Sunday in front of the Adas Torah synagogue at 9040 W. Pico Blvd., one block east of Doheny Drive. Pro-Palestine protesters amassed outside the facility, and they were met with counter-demonstrators, some carrying Israeli flags, LAPD Officer Tony Im told City News Service. Local and state leaders, and even President Joe Biden, all condemned the ensuing clash as blatant antisemitism, although pro-Palestinians said the gathering was in response to a real estate event at the synagogue that included "representatives of housing projects in all the best Anglo neighborhoods in Israel," according to an advertisement for the event. On social media, proPalestinian groups blasted
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| Image courtesy of East West Players
I Protesters attack a man identified on social media as a journalist last weekend near a Synagogue in Los Angeles. | Photo courtesy of Sergio Olmos/Sean Beckner-Carmitchel/X
the event, calling it "a blatant example of land theft." While investigations continued, Bass met with leaders of various Jewish community groups Monday, along with City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky and interim LAPD Chief Dominic Choi. At an afternoon news conference, Bass called Sunday's violence "abhorrent," saying the actions of protesters who blocked access to a synagogue "absolutely unacceptable." "This violence was designed to stoke fear," Bass said. "It was designed to divide. But hear me loud and clear — it will fail." Bass outlined a series of steps being pursued by the city in response to the clash. "We will be working
to immediately convene leaders of houses of worship and cultural centers to discuss how to protect sacred spaces," Bass said. "LAPD will enhance their partnerships with Jewish public-safety organizations to continually review evolving tactics and threats to the community and to ensure that we are not just responding, but taking proactive actions to prevent these instances from happening in the first place." She said the city is working with state leaders to ensure the provision of $40 million in grant funding to support security measures locally, and Yaroslavsky is expected to introduce a motion during Tuesday's City Council meeting See Palestine Page 16
seeking immediate local funding to boost security while the state money is pending. Bass also said the city attorney will be looking at several issues that "we need to examine," such as requiring permits for such organized protests and "the idea of people wearing masks at protests," a clear reference to many participants Sunday who had their faces covered to conceal their identities. "As mayor, my No. 1 job is to keep people safe, and I want to assure Angelenos that we will continue our efforts to make sure that you not just feel safe but you actually are safe, especially in places of worship," Bass said.
n 1919 D.W. Griffith directed Hollywood’s first onscreen interracial love story between a white woman and a Chinese man. The movie was “Broken Blossoms” and the lovers were played by Lillian Gish as Lucy Burrows and Richard Barthelmess, in yellow face make up, as Cheng Huan. What went on behind the scenes is the subject of East West Players’ next World Premiere play "Unbroken Blossoms" — a historical reimagining of the making of this actual boundarybreaking Hollywood classic — written by Philip W. Chung and directed by Jeff Liu. It goes on stage from June 27 through July 21 at the David Henry Hwang Theatre. "Unbroken Blossoms" follows two Chinese American consultants who are hired for the movie “Broken Blossoms” — Moon, an idealistic family man and James, a cynical, aspiring filmmaker — as they contend with the inflated ego of the film's director D.W.
Griffith. The cast includes Gavin Kawin Lee as James Leong, Ron Song as Moon Kwan, Arye Gross as D.W. Griffith, Alexandra Hellquist as Lillian Gish/Gilda and Conlan Ledwith as Richard Barthelmess. Speaking by phone, Chung explained the genesis of the play. “I’m fascinated by Hollywood history so I’ve read about D.W. Griffith; he is considered the godfather of cinema. Studying his career I realized that he made ‘Broken Blossoms,’ one of the first ‘positive’ interracial relationships in Hollywood films. But, of course, it was 1919 and it was a white man in yellow face makeup playing a Chinese character. They were clearly trying to do something that wasn’t the usual negative depiction of Chinese people. The intent might have been good but, because of the limitations at that time, the result was still problematic.” “And then I found out during my research that he hired two Chinese American
See 'Unbroken Blossoms' Page 13