Hundreds Of Jewish Men Chase Woman Misidentified As Pro-palestinian Protester

A group of Orthodox Jewish men and boys numbering successful nan hundreds chased, kicked, spit connected and threw objects astatine a female aft mistaking her for a pro-Palestinian protester during an arena astatine Chabad-Lubavitch’s world headquarters, located successful Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood. The event, which took spot Thursday, April 24, attracted advocates of some nan Israeli and Palestinian causes and centered astir an quality by Israel’s arguable information minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The arena led to a conflict betwixt pro-Palestinian protesters and Hasidic Jews, resulting successful six arrests. Protesters allegedly threw bottles astatine Ben-Gvir arsenic he near nan event.

The female said to The Associated Press connected nan information of anonymity, fearing for her safety.

According to nan AP, nan woman, who is successful her 30s and a resident of Crown Heights –– a Brooklyn vicinity known for its ample Orthodox Jewish organization –– walked complete to nan protestation astir 10:30 p.m., aft she heard helicopters circling supra her building.

How did nan events unfold?

Not intending to participate, but besides not wanting to beryllium filmed aft pro-Israel protesters began pointing their cameras astatine her, nan female says she covered her look pinch a scarf. That’s erstwhile a group of men that nan female estimates to person been astir 100 “immediately” approached and “encircled” her.

“They were shouting astatine me, threatening to rape me, chanting ‘death to Arabs,’” nan female said. “I thought nan constabulary would protect maine from nan mob, but they did thing to intervene.”

Her communicative is corroborated done video footage captured by personification connected nan segment and posted to Instagram.

While nan constabulary idly stood by, 1 serviceman did effort to escort nan female to safety. However, that wasn’t capable to extremity nan violence, increasing mob, aliases insults successful some Hebrew and English that lasted for blocks.

“This is America,” 1 man says. “We sewage Israel. We sewage an Army now.”

In nan video, 2 men tin beryllium seen kicking nan female successful nan back. Another throws a postulation cone into her head, and personification other pushes a trash tin into her.

“I felt sheer terror,” nan female told nan AP. “I realized astatine that constituent that I couldn’t lead this mob of men to my home. I had obscurity to go. I didn’t cognize what to do. I was conscionable terrified.”

The serviceman escorting nan female yet sewage her into a constabulary vehicle, nan crowd cheering arsenic she’s driven off.

“I’m acrophobic to move astir nan vicinity wherever I’ve lived for a decade,” nan woman, who is simply a lifelong New Yorker, told nan AP. “It doesn’t look for illustration anyone successful immoderate position of powerfulness really cares.”

Mayor Adams, Chabad-Lubavitch respond

On Sunday, April 27, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said constabulary are investigating “a bid of incidents stemming from clashing protests” astatine Chabad-Lubavitch’s Ben-Gvir event. That includes a different pro-Palestinian protester who was allegedly harassed by counterprotesters. Photos shared online show her pinch humor streaming down her face, according to nan AP.

“Let maine beryllium clear: None of this is acceptable, successful fact, it is despicable,” Adams said. “New York City will ever beryllium a spot wherever group tin peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence, trespassing, menacing, aliases threatening.”

Similarly, Chabad-Lubavitch denounced nan group’s behavior, pinch spokesperson Rabbi Motti Seligson saying, “We condemn nan crude connection and unit of nan mini breakaway group of young people; specified actions are wholly unacceptable and wholly antithetical to nan Torah’s values. The truth that a perchance uninvolved bystander sewage pulled into nan melee further underscores nan point.”