
Abuser of Elderly Veteran
A prominent personal injury attorney in San Diego, named Benjamin Israel Siminou, violently attacked an elderly, pro-American protester at the “Keeping Families Together” march on Saturday, June 30, 2018 at Waterfront Park near downtown San Diego. A initial complaint was filed against him for felony, strong-arm robbery. After it was learned that he was a prominent attorney, the charge was subsequently reduced to a misdemeanor and — after a quick trial — immediately expunged from his record, thanks to the City attorney’s office, Mara Elliot.
The pro-Trump counter-protester is a long-time, pro-immigration-law-enforcement activist and an Army veteran, known as “Gadget Dan”. Dan is 75 years old and has a life-threatening medical condition (cancer). He was a fireman before he retired. Breathing the toxic fumes of firefighting may have caused his current very serious medical problem. His entire life as a fireman, veteran and activist has been spent, often at great risk to his own life, in what he feels is service to all Americans, not just one political faction.
It is not known yet, if he has serious injuries. Apparently, some of those, who are so sensitive to treatment of children, seem to have no problem at all with violent physical abuse of the sick and elderly.
UPDATE: Dan Russel died on February 27, 2022 as a result of his soft tissue cancer. See Dan Russell Obituary. Dan told me that he thought his cancer might have been caused by the chemicals he inhaled as a firefighter.
Siminou worked with a leading legal firm, but separated about six months earlier, Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire, and now has his own office in Liberty Station, Siminou Appeals. Siminou is scheduled to receive a prestigious national award for one of his lawsuits in Denver next weekend from the Pound Civil Justice Institute. (Update: He is reportedly no longer scheduled to receive this award.)
At about 4:30 in this video, Siminou is seen shoving the protester down hard on the concrete sidewalk and then running away with the sign that he had just wrested away from Dan. Siminou was then tackled by several deputies. A second person, named “Julie” was arrested for vandalizing the sign. She was cited and released, also. About a dozen police and sheriff deputies witnessed the attack from close up.
The veteran was merely speaking out for immigration law enforcement in support of President Trump. He was not doing anything to provoke a violent attack. On the contrary, the far-Left, neo-Marxist and La Raza marchers heaped abuse and epithets on the veteran for about an hour before the attack.
His sign read, “Build the Wall, Enforce the Law” with two American flags mounted on it. As the veteran is led away in handcuffs for his own protection, the not-so-tolerant crowd boisterously cheers the attack and the effect it had of removing him from the scene, due to the threat of violence from the cheering crowd, itself.
The attack starts at about 4:30 in the video below.
Siminou received special treatment as an attorney and was released on his own recognizance. He did not have to spend any time in jail and did not have to pay a dime in bail. A regular citizen would have spent 4-5 days in jail on this holiday weekend. Siminou is scheduled to be arraigned on felony charges on July 9th, ironically the day after he is to be presented with a national award for his legal work. (Update: After complaints from concerned citizens, Siminou did not receive this award.)
In the end Siminou’s charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and transferred to the City Attorney’s office (Mara Elliot). Siminou only received a small fine and two days of public service. After his public service was finished his crime was expunged immediately to make it look like he never committed a crime.

The reason there are not more people, like Gadget Dan, coming out to counter-protest these so-called “save-the-children” events is the very justified fear of harassment, violence and abuse from the crowd. The feeling of collective moral superiority that many of the participants have allows them to rationalize that threats, offensive insults, name-calling and physical abuse of others are justified, even of our elderly veterans.