A Jewish man was assaulted inside a gym in the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 25, video shows.
The local news site CrownHeights.info reported that the Jewish man, who has not been identified, was using a machine at the gym when a man walked up behind him, slapped him and called him an “[expletive] Jew.” He then proceeded to throw the Jewish man’s headphones to the ground and stomp on them.
CrownHeights.info shared video footage of the assault from the gym’s surveillance camera:
Anti-Defamation League New York/New Jersey Northeast Division Vice President Evan Bernstein said in a statement to the Journal, “This report of an anti-Semitic assault is very disturbing and we are reaching out to [the New York City Police Department] to learn more details. We cannot continue to let antisemitism and hate be the new normal in New York City.”
A spokesperson from the New York Police Department (NYPD) told the Journal in an email that Adrian Dawodu, 35, was arrested and faces charges of assault, criminal mischief, menacing and harassment in connection with the incident at the gym.
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who is also the president of the Americans Against Anti-Semitism watchdog, tweeted: “The assailant was arrested. The question is if he’ll be released as quickly …,” likely referencing New York’s bail reform law that was passed in 2019. Critics of the law argue that it allows suspects back on the streets while supporters say that economic status shouldn’t determine if a suspect has to remain in jail.
BREAKING: Jewish man assaulted in Crown Heights gym, gets slapped in face and told “F—- Jew”.
The assailant was arrested. The question is if he’ll be released as quickly…https://t.co/bfjSqIc3zx
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) February 27, 2020
According to NYPD data released in January, there was a 24% increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes from 2018 to 2019 in New York City.
