A recent bookfair at the West Asheville Public Library in North Carolina, organized by Antifa, descended into chaos, with reported assaults on Jewish attendees, including a cancer-stricken elderly man.
The event, known as the Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair (ACAB), took place on June 29 and was attended by Monica Buckley, who livestreamed the proceedings. Buckley was accompanied by David Moritz, 54, and Bob Campbell, 79, both of whom were allegedly assaulted.
According to The Post Millennial, the Antifa organizers of the bookfair issued a statement on July 3, characterizing the incident as a planned disruption by individuals with extreme, genocidal beliefs who have publicly called for the suppression of solidarity with Palestinians. They accused Buckley and Moritz of attending the event to propagate a false narrative that the ACAB is an antisemitic event.
The statement further read, Last Saturday, the fight that these two white supremacists instigated resulted in the injury of multiple antifascists and one arrest. Afterward, Monicawho bragged about starting the brawl by tackling a bookfair attendeestayed in the neighborhood, harassing and threatening community members from a car. This escalatory behavior is no surprise.
The organizers expressed solidarity with those who were harmed or traumatized by Buckley and Moritz. They also extended support to bookfair participants who are, or may in the future, face charges.
The event, which attracted between 80 to 100 attendees, spiraled into violence when a woman seized Buckley's phone, sparking a scuffle. Buckley and Moritz were allegedly assaulted in the ensuing chaos. The Asheville police were alerted to the situation following a 911 call from a librarian and reports from individuals watching the livestream, as reported by Citizen-Times.
In the aftermath of the incident, one attendee, Taylor Danielle Zarkin, was charged with two counts of resisting a public officer. The Asheville police are currently utilizing surveillance footage from the library to identify persons of interest in the assault.
Asheville Mayor, Esther Manheimer, responded to the incident, stating, The members of the Asheville community deserve the right to enter any community spaces with a feeling of security. We will not tolerate violence, either against or carried out in our community.
Manheimer further emphasized Asheville's commitment to diversity and its refusal to be intimidated by individuals resorting to violence. She said, Asheville is a city that has thrived and honored the diversity of all its residents. We will continue to do so and not be cowed by individuals resorting to violence.
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