(VINnews) – A Jewish man was severely beaten as he lay in the middle of a Midtown roadway as violent clashes erupted between pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israeli demonstrators in the middle of Times Square.
A video making the rounds on WhatsApp and social media showed a man, tentatively identified as Joseph Borgen of Lawrence, being kicked and hit repeatedly with sticks by at least six people holding protest signs as he lay in the middle of the roadway. Unite With Israel posted the video and tweeted, “This Jewish man was attacked today in New York City. Tell me anti Zionism is not antisemitism. I dare you.”
This Jewish man was attacked today in New York City.
Tell me anti Zionism is not antisemitism. I dare you. pic.twitter.com/vzZHSzh93o— United With Israel (@UniteWithIsrael) May 21, 2021
Former assemblyman Dov Hikind called out Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo for their silence in the face of the shocking violence that deliberately targeted Jews, noting that he had spoken with the father of a 29 year old Jewish man who had been taken to Bellevue Hospital after being attacked. Hikind had harsh words for several other elected officials tweeting, “This is what ‘supporting human rights’ looks like to @RashidaTlaib @Ilhan and @AOC.”
At least 19 people were arrested and taken into custody in Times Square, reported the New York Post . In addition to throwing punches and curses at the pro-Israel demonstrators, pro-Palestinian protestors also threw objects at police and knocked over barriers and other large items in an attempt to block traffic.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators spilled over onto 47th Street, home of the heavily Jewish diamond district, with passengers in a convoy of cars hurling anti-Semitic epithets as they cruised down the block. Video circulating on social media shows people running away as a loud noise, a flash of red light and smoke erupted near the 37 West 47th Street diamond exchange and office building.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the NYPD confirmed that one person sustained a minor burn after two commercial fireworks were thrown from a car heading east on 47th Street. The NYPD has assigned both its arson investigation squad and a detective squad to investigate the incident.
The shocking violence also caught the eye of British writer and comedian Lee Kern, who noted on Twitter “This is NYC. There is a program against Jews taking place – perpetrated by a cult of antisemitism within Palestinian advocacy – and whose antisemitic narratives are being adopted by the media, celebrities, social justice movements & congressmen & women.”
