“I don’t think I’m a hero,” Israeli-American rapper Kosha Dillz (Rami Even-Esh) said on Sunday, two days after he disrupted a Friday vigil in New York City’s Washington Square Park for slain Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, by grabbing a photo of the ayatollah on display before being attacked by the crowd and then arrested by the police.
Even-Esh, who was lightly injured and required 10 stitches, was eventually charged by the police for disrupting a public gathering.
“I didn't think I'd be jumped on by tons of people because of a photo of a man who murdered nearly 30,000 Iranian citizens,” Even-Esh told The Jerusalem Post. “I think it was insane that there was a vigil for him. I just took the sign down. I felt that was the right thing to do.”
The pro-Khamenei activists, who at the height of their demonstration numbered about 50 people, assembled beneath the Washington Square Arch, where they flew Iranian flags and set up tables, which featured pictures of the ayatollah and other revolutionary figures, including Malcolm X and Congolese politician Patrice Lumumba, as well as racial-justice figures, like George Floyd.
Assembled in opposition on the north side of the arch was an equal number of anti-Khamenei protesters, several of whom were draped in Israeli and US flags, who could be heard chanting, “Khamenei’s dead! Khamenei’s dead!”
Khamenei supporters jump Even-Esh for grabbing poster
“Take this down!” shouted Even-Esh as he ripped the poster from the display.
Video from the scene shows several of Khamenei’s supporters rushing toward him. Even-Esh wasknocked to the ground and kicked by protesters before an NYPD officer intervened. Even-Esh was placed in handcuffs as blood streamed from his nose.
The 44-year-old Even-Esh, who has been vocal in his support for Israel, and following the October 7 massacre, released a song called "Bring the Family Home", where he denounces antisemitism and calls for the return of hostages, said that his actions were spontaneous.
“I was quite astonished by what I saw. It looked like a scene from "Dungeons and Dragons" where everyone dresses up as someone else. On one side, there are those who are Iranian. On the other side, no one is Iranian. I decided to shut it down as I felt that if someone else had the opportunity, they'd do the same,” he said. “I did something out of character.”
Even-Esh likened the protest to a trendy gathering where participants are unaware of the facts.
“The people who attacked me sadly don't really know what they are fighting either. It is somewhat of a video game. You go to a protest. You go to jail. You talk s*** to cops, and at the same time at the protest, you ask them for your help when setting up your vigil,” he said.
“These protests are sort of shows for the public, and we become addicted to them. It is only getting worse and not better, now that our hostages are home.”
“I'm definitely not a victim. The Iranian people are the victims. The world doesn't know what is happening to them.”
New York Daily News/TNS contributed to this report.