Police arrest 14-year-old for attacking Jewish people with a fire extinguisher in two incidents

Aysha Qamar

Daily Kos Staff

Wednesday August 31, 2022 · 7:21 AM PDT

2022/08/31 · 07:21

A woman holds a banner as she attends protests in support of the Jewish community called No Hate No Fear at the Brooklyn Bridge on January 5, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

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Hate crimes are increasing nationwide, impacting each and every minority community. Several communities of color have reported strings of attacks based on their identity. Weeks after Muslim Americans in New Mexico expressed increased fear due to several incidents of violence, the Jewish community now share the same sentiments in New York.

At least three incidents of violence against the Brooklyn Jewish community have occurred this month in what police call a "hate crime assault pattern.” All three incidents took place in the same neighborhood, which is known as the home of the Satmar Haredi movement. Victims of the attacks were punched, slapped, and sprayed with powder from fire extinguishers. At least one victim was wearing a shtreimel, a traditional fur hat worn on Shabbat and holidays, during an attack.

There were no reports of serious injuries in any of the incidents. Surveillance footage of the incidents were shared on social media.

In one incident, a 72-year-old man said he was approached by a group of individuals, including one who ran up from behind and sprayed him in the face with a fire extinguisher.

A second attack also occurred on Aug. 21 around the same time. During that incident, a 66-year-old man was walking when someone sprayed him with a fire extinguisher and punched him, CBS News reported.

According to CBS News, police arrested a 14-year-old boy Monday and charged him with three counts, including assault as a hate crime in connection to both of those incidents.

2 perps are seen chasing after a Hasidic Jewish person on Roebling St & Lee Ave last night, if you have more information contact ⁦@WspuShomrim⁩ and ⁦@NYPD90Pct⁩. pic.twitter.com/FGeZApGaUh
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) August 21, 2022

A perp is seen running up behind a Hasidic Jewish person on Lee Ave & Taylor St and assaulted him by spraying him with a fire extinguisher, if you have more information contact ⁦@WspuShomrim⁩ and ⁦@NYPD90Pct⁩. pic.twitter.com/yzfxSjufTD
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) August 21, 2022

New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell said it's believed the victims were targeted because of their Jewish identity.

"No one deserves to be the victim of such senseless hateful violence. No one," Sewell said according to ABC News. The commissioner added that arrests by New York’s Hate Crimes Task Force are up over 100% this year, and arrests by the task force for attacks on Jewish New Yorkers are up by 45%.

The New York Police Department has confirmed 149 anti-Jewish hate crimes between the start of 2022 and June 28, an average of an incident every 29 hours.

The attacks follow several reports detailing the rise in hate and bias against minority communities. According to a report by the Anti-Defamation League, the number of incidents involving assault, vandalism, and harassment targeting the Jewish community has reached a historic high of more than 2,700 reported incidents, a 34% increase nationwide compared to 2,026 in 2020.

The actual numbers are expected to be higher due to the number of incidents that go unreported.

RELATED STORY: ‘Deeply troubling’: Anti-Defamation League reports highest increase in antisemitism in years

Police arrest 14-year-old for attacking Jewish people with a fire extinguisher in two incidents

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