The son of Richard Lakin blames online incitement for the death of his father, who succumbed earlier today to injuries sustained in a Jerusalem terror attack two weeks ago.
“It cannot be that the world’s most powerful social network, whose influence is probably greater than that of heads of state… allows terrorists to call for the murder of innocent Jews,” Micha Lakin tells Channel 2 television, in a likely reference to Facebook. “He died as a result of the same incitement and hatred he fought against his entire life.”
Richard Lakin was named as lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Facebook accusing the social media platform of ignoring widespread Palestinian posts calling for violence against Jews.
The 76-year-old former American school principal was shot in the head and stabbed in the chest in the October 13 attack on a Jerusalem bus.
“From the start we understood that his chances of coming out of this were low,” Micha Lakin says.
“Dad believed in coexistence and before immigrating to Israel in the 1980s he worked in the United States to promote dialogue and equality. He was a social activist and marched alongside Martin Luther King to protest against racism.”
Police guarding a bus after terrorists opened fire and stabbed passengers in Jerusalem on October 13, 2015. (Courtesy Police)
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
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