As hostilities continue in the Middle East in the wake of the Israel–Hamas conflict, there has also been a noticeable uptick in violent hate crimes in New York City apparently stemming from the conflict.
In several recent incidents, individuals wearing religious attire or who publicly affiliate with either side in the war have been the target of violent outbursts — contributing to a palpable sense of fear among New Yorkers, and prompting city officials to increase the police presence across the five boroughs.
“We are currently in a heightened threat environment and tensions have been rising since the assault against Israel on Oct. 7. The NYPD is doing everything we can do to forestall future violence in our city. However, we know the ongoing events overseas may resonate with individuals domestically and that is hard to anticipate,” the Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday. “The NYPD asks all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and reminds everyone if they see something to say something.”
The NYPD originally moved to a state of heightened alert on Oct. 13, asking all officers to report for duty, after Hamas leaders called for a global “day of jihad” — though, they said the move was a preventative one, rather than a response to any specific threats.
A week later, the Police Department has continued its show of force, keeping the number of on-duty officers at a higher-than-normal level, with a particular interest in stationing cops near mosques, synagogues and religious schools.
“Our goal is to say there’s no room for hate of any group in the city, and we’ve been consistent on that,” Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference this week.
Still, even with the increased footprint of the NYPD, there have been several recent incidents of New Yorkers being the target of crimes, seemingly for religious reasons.
In the early hours Friday, cops arrested a 26-year-old on hate crime charges for allegedly attacking a turban-wearing man aboard a bus in Queens — punching the 19-year-old victim multiple times on the morning of Oct. 15. The perpetrator also attempted to rip off the victim’s turban while shouting “we don’t wear that in this country.”
A day before that incident, a suspect punched a woman inside a Lexington Avenue 7 train station, and told the 29-year-old victim that the attack was because “you are Jewish.” No arrests have been made in that case.
Just before midnight on Oct. 11, a group of nine suspects approached a trio of young men in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn and shouted profanities including “f*** Palestine” and “f*** Islam” — before punching and kicking the victims repeatedly. No arrests have been made in that case, either.
The situation has led leaders of every level of government to take significant actions — with federal officials directing the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to provide resources to local agencies like the NYPD. Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration has instituted a “full activation” of state police and the National Guard to prevent any attacks or hate crimes.
“We want to reiterate to New Yorkers, there’s no reason to feel afraid. No one should feel they have to alter their normal lives or their routines. And indeed, when we change our behavior without a serious, credible threat, then we’re letting the terrorists win,” said Hochul. “I want all New Yorkers to feel confident going to a synagogue, going to school, walking to the streets of New York and throughout our state over the next few days.”
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said steps are being taken to protect the public from hate.
“To those Americans worried about violence at home, as a result of the evil acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas in Israel, we see you. We hear you,” Biden said. “And I have asked members of my team, including Homeland Security Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas and Attorney General [Merrick] Garland, to prioritize the prevention and disruption of any emerging threats that could harm Jewish, Muslim, Arab American, or any other communities during this time. My Administration will continue to fight Antisemitism and Islamophobia.”
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