CAIR-NY Calls on Brooklyn DA’s Office to Bring Hate Crime Charges for Anti-Palestinian Pepper-Spray Assault
(NEW YORK, NY – 12/11/2024) – The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today called on the Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez to prosecute the November 23rd alleged anti-Palestinian pepper-spray assault in Boerum Hill as a hate crime.
SEE: VIDEO
On November 23, in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, a group of neighbors hosting a stoop sale to aid families in Gaza were allegedly attacked in an apparent hate crime. The assailant verbally harassed the group, accusing them of “supporting terrorism” and being “Jew haters,” before recording them and threatening to dox them.
When one of the fundraisers, who was wearing a keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf) and speaks with accented English, began recording and questioned if the footage would encourage more donations, the assailant escalated by grabbing the victim’s phone, throwing it at another person, cracking the screen, and leaving.
When the victim demanded compensation for the cracked phone, the assailant reportedly brandished pepper spray, screamed for help as though being attacked, and then pepper-sprayed the victim. The alleged assailant was released within hours, receiving a desk appearance ticket, despite being arrested for third-degree assault and attempted assault, second-degree harassment, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree criminal mischief.
It does not appear that the Brooklyn DA’s Office is further pursuing hate crimes charges, despite the assailant’s social media posts demonstrating Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian sentiment, indicating that she likely targeted her victims and committed the above offenses based on a belief or perception of their race, national origin, religion, or religious practices.
The following is described by the targeted group in their social media post:
“This incident was clearly motivated by bias against the perceived national origin of the victims. Witnesses reported that the assailant targeted the group—many wearing keffiyehs and others with darker skin tones or speaking accented English—because she perceived them to be Palestinian. While in handcuffs, the assailant reiterated her hate-filled motivations, accusing the group of “supporting terrorism” simply for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian families.
The victim’s legal representatives have contacted the Brooklyn DA’s office multiple times, providing video evidence and additional documentation of the assailant’s online activity, which reveals a history of anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic sentiments.
This inaction reinforces the impunity the assailant felt while committing this unprovoked, daylight attack. She weaponized her whiteness by screaming “attack” while being the only person brandishing a weapon against a peaceful group. Such impunity endangers all Brooklyn residents, especially marginalized communities, by failing to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable.”
Christina John, CAIR-NY Staff Attorney, shared that she contacted the Assistant District Attorney yesterday regarding this matter and has yet to hear back.
In her communication with the ADA, Ms. John provided the following information about the assailant’s social media posts:
“The victims shared various social media posts made by the assailant over the last year or so that reportedly show anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic sentiment. The assailant generalizes about Palestinians, particularly Palestinian youth and their mothers, and Islam in these posts. As recently as November 10, 2024, she seems to believe that Muslims seek to, in her terms, "Islamicize" their communities; in this particular post, she includes a quote from a podcast stating that in some European countries, "existing Muslim communities are setting up a parallel society where they don't feel a part of that society. And the demographics of these places have changed. It's a people with a political ideology that wants to eliminate the State of Israel, eliminate the Jews, and through the democratic process and when the time is ripe, eventually through force." These are all fairly common discriminatory dog whistles, generalizing and othering a group as being violent and invasive to a community. The assailant seems to hold discriminatory beliefs, that she then put into violent action, regarding those she perceives as Muslim and/or part of adjacent communities.”
CAIR-NY demands immediate action from DA Eric Gonzalez to prosecute this attack as a hate crime to ensure justice for the victims and send a clear message that hate crimes have no place in Brooklyn.
CAIR-NY's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Become a Fan of CAIR-NY on Facebook
Subscribe to CAIR-NY's Email List
Subscribe to CAIR-NY's Twitter Feed
Subscribe to CAIR-NY’s YouTube Channel
Do you like reading CAIR-NY's press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR-NY's work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR-NY's advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR-NY.
END
CONTACT:
Christina John, Staff Attorney, CAIR-NY cjohn@cair.com
Saira Amar, MPA, Communications Coordinator, samar@cair.com