The NYPD announced that it is surging more cops to Brooklyn after a sudden spike in antisemitic attacks across the borough, days after a terrorist attack on a Hanukkah event in Australia that left 15 people dead.
Police say they are investigating two caught-on-camera incidents over a two-day period to determine if they are bias assaults.
The first incident occurred aboard a New Lots-bound 3 train at around 8:40 p.m. on Dec. 15, near the Franklin Avenue stop in Crown Heights. Video shared on social media shows a violent altercation between two men and Jewish straphangers. The video shows one of the men grabbing a victim by the neck.
Police investigated the attack as a possible hate crime, especially after seeing social media posts that indicated that antisemitic comments were made. After reviewing footage and audio from the scene, authorities say, the preliminary evidence does not indicate that the attack was a hate crime.
Instead, police sources said, they believe the argument erupted over train seats. Still, they say they have identified a person of interest for aggravated assault charges.
Meanwhile, police are also looking for the perpetrator in an unrelated second attack that occurred one day later, which they are probing as a potential hate crime.
Police say the bias attack occurred at around 4:10 p.m. on Dec. 16 near the corner of Kingston Avenue and Lincoln Place in Crown Heights.
Law enforcement sources said the perpetrator responsible for the attack approached a 35-year-old man and then engaged him in an argument.
Cops reported that the suspect walked away, but the victim followed him. At some point, authorities said, the suspect made antisemitic statements, then stabbed the victim in the chest with a knife.
The perpetrator was last seen fleeing the location on foot towards Sterling Place and Albany Avenue.
EMS rushed the victim to NYC Health and Hospitals/Kings County in stable condition. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is now investigating the attack.
Both incidents prompted the NYPD to send additional officers into Brooklyn to help safeguard Jewish New Yorkers amid not only the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, but also in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Bondi Beach in Australia on Dec. 14.
Following the terrorist attack, Jewish New Yorkers told amNewYork that they remain steadfast and would not be afraid.
“The thing is, you cannot let it keep you indoors and keep you from doing the things that you love, because that’s what they want,” Aly Singhthakur told amNewYork on Sunday. “They want to get to the better of you. So we’re here. We’re going to show our strength, show our pride, and do what we do best, and let’s celebrate Hanukkah.”
Antisemitic hate crimes have surged across New York since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel that led to the outbreak of war in Gaza. The NYPD reported that 20 of the 54 hate crimes that occurred in November targeted Jews in New York.
Earlier this year, the Anti-Defamation League reported that New York had the most antisemitism incidents in America last year.
Anyone with information regarding the recent incidents in Brooklyn can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
