The American Jewish Committee (AJC) released a video on Sept. 3 highlighting the rising anti-Semitic violence in New York City.
The video begins with the question, “What would you say if you learned there were over 100 anti-Semitic assaults in a European city? If Jews were being ambushed, attacked, stabbed, kicked, choked, bludgeoned?”
The video then states that such things are occurring with rising frequency in New York City, pointing out that hate crimes have risen 81 percent in 2019 from the year prior in the city, but “few people are aware of this increasingly dangerous situation.”
Jews are being ambushed, attacked, stabbed, kicked, choked, and bludgeoned in the streets of a major global city.
That city is New York.
If you're as outraged as we are, share this video and demand that authorities take action.pic.twitter.com/C9XHF3VlpB
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) September 3, 2019
The Americans Against Anti-Semitism coalition tweeted on Aug. 31 that over the past week there have been two instances of Jews being bludgeoned with stones in New York City and one instance of a Jewish man being hit with a belt buckle while the assailants shouted “F***ing Jew!”
NYC Antisemitic Hate Crime Update 8/31:
One week; four antisemitic attacks. Two people attacked with stones and another verbally assaulted in Crown Heights; a fourth person assaulted by two people yelling “F***ing Jew” while hitting victim with belt buckle. pic.twitter.com/433FTAzMXz
— Americans Against Antisemitism (@AmericansAA) September 1, 2019
The Anti-Defamation League highlighted the fact that a beach club in Queens was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, tweeting, “From vicious #antiSemitic attacks & harassment in Brooklyn, to now #antiSemitic graffiti in Queens, New York has a serious issue with #antiSemitism currently. More action needs to be taken from public leaders and authorities to curb this #hate.”
From vicious #antiSemitic attacks & harassment in Brooklyn, to now #antiSemitic graffiti in Queens, New York has a serious issue with #antiSemitism currently. More action needs to be taken from public leaders and authorities to curb this #hate. https://t.co/ue17izFoHc
— ADL (@ADL) September 3, 2019
New York City Councilman Chaim Deutsch told Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that the recent rise of anti-Semitism in the city is “very concerning and very disturbing to me. It’s irrelevant if it’s been happening in the past. The main impact of this is what’s happening in the present.” He also praised the fact that the city is opening a hate crimes prevention center and that he was able to obtain funding to put cameras throughout his district in Brooklyn.
However, one New York City resident, Alexander Rapaport, told JTA that he was unsure how the city could take proper action against anti-Semitism when “hate is something in your mind. How do you counter that?”