On Sept. 12, pro-Israel protestor Scott Hayes shot Caleb Gannon, who attacked Hayes, in Newton, Massachusetts. Now, Hayes, who was charged with assault and battery and pled not guilty, has amassed over $260,000 in support on GoFundMe via almost 4,000 contributions.
Video of Gannon yelling at Hayes and other pro-Israel protestors, attacking Hayes, and Hayes shooting Gannon was obtained by the Daily Wire, a right-wing news outlet and shared on X the day of the shooting.
In the video, Gannon is heard telling pro-Israel protesters that they are "defending genocide" and then tackling Hayes. As Hayes and Gannon struggle, two other men are seen stepping on Gannon's head and neck.
Hayes is an Iraq veteran and a fervent supporter of Israel who allegedly tweeted a photo of a semi-automatic gun alongside a message telling "Jew haters" to "bring it" in May on his now-deleted X account. He also heads a group called God Bless America and Israel that organizes pro-Israel rallies.
WGBH, a local Massachusetts outlet, reported that Hayes is notorious in pro-Palestinian circles in the state for being a "gun-toting individual who castigates those calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and insults and harasses peaceful protesters."
Hayes is also known in Massachusetts pro-Israel circles, too. The GoFundMe created for his benefit describes Hayes as a defender of "Jewish people and [their] right for self determination and governance all across Boston, its surroundings and all around New England and the US."
Since the shooting, well-known pro-Israel voices have come to Hayes' defense. Lawyer Alan Dershowitz said Gannon should be arrested and that he has concerns that Hayes was charged before Newton police finished fully investigating the situation. The Anti-Defamation League of New England also said it was "concerning" that Hayes was charged "immediately" after the investigation.
Hayes has also received support in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars in GoFundMe donations. Twenty of the contributions exceed $1,000.
Some of Hayes' big-spenders have also been outspoken about the situation online.
Karen Hurvitz, who donated $1,500 to Hayes, told Islamist Watch she was "shocked" that Hayes was charged for shooting Gannon after Gannon attacked him, and that pro-Palestinian protesters are "very aggressive and physically assaultive." Islamist Watch is a branch of the Middle East Forum, a conservative think-tank.
Rabbi Dan Rodkin donated $1,000 to Hayes and posted on his Facebook account that Hayes "never missed a pro-Israel rally"—though Rodkin did refer to Hayes incorrectly as "Steve" in his post.
"Even though Steve is not Jewish, he has always been a passionate supporter of Israel," Rodkin wrote in his post the day after the shooting. "Now, it’s our turn to show our support for him."
A fixture of far-right X, Kyle Bass, also donated $1,000 to the GoFundMe. In a tweet, Bass said that Hayes "was attacked by a pro-Palestinian nut job."
As reported by Boston.com, Newton police are "pursuing criminal charges" against Gannon as well.
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