JWPF Members Learn a Valuable Lesson
University of Michigan football fans may remember last November 21 as day of the sixth defeat in a row by the Ohio State Buckeyes, but we remember that day because Vigiller G was assaulted by suspect David A. Fauman of Ann Arbor. The lesson we learned is to always face potential assailants head-on, if only for later identification purposes. It was our combined failure to positively identify Fauman that led First Assistant Prosecutor Konrad Siller to conclude that he could not “prove identity beyond a reasonable doubt” (source: FOIA report requested by JWPF). Fauman works at the University of Michigan as “Information Resources Assistant Senior”, according to www.umich.edu.
Fauman wears distinctive clothing as he walks to either the Chabad House, an orthodox Jewish synagogue, or the Hillel Foundation, a Jewish political/cultural group, both on UM’s campus. Fauman sports a black fedora, almost like a cowboy hat, and a long “Marlboro Man” brown coat. His identity, therefore, was centered in his garb, not his facial features. Note to all protestors: focus on the face, height, weight, etc. Don’t rely on your assailant’s clothing or vehicle as your only source of identification.
However, there is an up-side to distinctive clothing. Two months after the assault, Vigiler S and I were driving on the east side of Ann Arbor, when we spotted the cowboy hat and Marlboro-man coat. Ascertaining an address was as easy as following Fauman to his door, albeit at a safe distance. Having completed our junior sleuthing, we informed the Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD), who did a reverse address lookup to provide Fauman’s name.
Fauman’s M.O. was to walk past the early-arriving vigilers, and harass us with claims of “Atta boy, people, kill those Jews; throw them into the sea”. On first encounter, I offered my hand, identified myself and asked him his name. Fauman did not identify himself, and would always keep shouting and walking.
Our mistake was ignoring him in subsequent passes down Washtenaw Avenue. On the day of the attack, both Vigiller G and myself were busying ourselves with set-up chores, and had our backs turned. My first awareness of the assault was when G yelled in anger and pain. “Did he hit you?” I asked, and she replied “Yes”. I shouted at Fauman to never raise his hand to us, and we filed a complaint with the AAPD around noon.
Kudos go to Detective A. of the AAPD for the excellent follow up work she compiled. This included a first (and only) meeting with Fauman, who exclaimed “I refuse to speak without the presence of my attorney”. And on April 17, 2010 Detective A. received a letter from Michael J. Vincent, of the law firm of Vincent and Fifelski, P.C., “requesting that you do no interview or talk to my client unless I am present.”
As we reported two weeks ago, “JWPF will not countenance physical attacks on individuals; every assault will be reported to the authorities and prosecuted. We welcome sidewalk conversations, even slightly heated ones. But those pedestrians and motorists who cross the line from verbal to physical should be advised that we will protect ourselves and our right to free speech.”
Business is Business
The owner of a downtown sandwich shop was asked to support the International Day of Quds, by allowing a small poster be placed in the window. Kindly refusing to do so, the owner explained that “Business is business”, and their policy is to refrain from posting political announcements.
Yes, business is business, and no one does business like Jewish Zionists as they complete their ethnic cleansing of Palestine. In spite of this man’s reluctance to join the fray, we remind readers to attend the Al Quds Day rally and speeches in Dearborn, Michigan next Friday, September 3rd at City Hall, 2:30 PM. See you there!
Seven Vigillers
Anti-Zionism means No Jewish State
Henry Herskovitz
Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends
