New York City has increased police presence and tightened security particularly at synagogues and other areas of Jewish interest following a spate of anti-Semitic attacks, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement on Friday
NEW YORK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th December, 2019) New York City has increased police presence and tightened security particularly at synagogues and other areas of Jewish interest following a spate of anti-Semitic attacks, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement on Friday."Hate doesn't have a home in our city. In light of recent anti-Semitic attacks, the NYPD [New York Police Department] will increase their presence in Boro Park, Crown Heights and Williamsburg," de Blasio said via Twitter. "Anyone who terrorizes our Jewish community WILL face justice."
During the recent Hanukkah celebration, a 34-year-old mother was hit on the head, a man in Manhattan was punched and kicked and there were two other assaults in Crown Heights involving possible hate-based attacks against Jews.
"In addition to heightened visibility, there will be increased visits to houses of worship and other critical areas in the community," de Blasio said. "Anti-Semitism is an attack on the values of our city - and we will confront it head-on."
Earlier in December, two gunmen driven by anti-Semitism killed a police officer and two Jews at a kosher grocery store in Jersey City in the neighboring state of New Jersey. The couple then engaged in a protracted gun battle with police, including those from New York State, before being shot dead.
A bias incident report published by the police and Attorney General's office in New Jersey found that 35 percent of the 569 reported bias incidents in 2018 were motivated by the victim's religion. In 2018, 172 anti-Jewish incidents were reported in New Jersey, the same number reported in 2017, the report added.
