NEW YORK — The NYPD hate crimes unit is investigating two assaults in Brooklyn that appear to be over the Israel-Hamas war.
In one incident, police said suspects riding in three cars were waving Israeli flags and started yelling anti-Palestinian remarks at three men walking on 86th Street near 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge at around 11:30 p.m.
Before exiting the vehicles, the men walking shouted words resembling “Free Palestine” and proceeded to physically assault an 18-year-old individual by punching and kicking them.
According to reports, the suspects returned to their vehicles and departed.
Irina Shavzina of Bay Ridge expressed her disbelief at the unjust attack on innocent Muslims who were peacefully walking down the street. She found it absurd and unacceptable to target individuals solely based on their religious affiliation.
According to the police, the individuals in question are three men aged between 18 and 21, who are of Arab or Palestinian origin. Despite declining medical assistance, they are anticipated to be in a stable condition.
According to the police, a 34-year-old man brandishing a Palestinian flag was assaulted in Williamsburg, hours prior to the incident.
According to the police, while he was walking on Flushing Avenue near Classon Avenue, a man dressed in Jewish attire forcefully grabbed the flag from him, ripped it apart, and struck him with the pole that was connected to the flag.
Suspects are still being sought by the police in both cases. Immediate descriptions of the suspects were not provided by the police.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
- In:
- Brooklyn
- Bay Ridge
- Hate Crime
