A Jewish man carrying an Israel flag on his back was assaulted in Manhattan as pro-Palestinian demonstrators surrounded him.
Matt Greenman, 27, was attacked at 42nd Street and First Avenue by protestors who attacked him from behind, a beating that he says was a hate crime in which he was targeted for being Jewish, Yeshiva World News reported.
Greenman was recovering from a sprained foot and using crutches when the April 20 attack occurred.
“His friends started to make a little circle and he got me from behind, got me on the ground, and punched me in the face,” Greenman told PIX11. “I got this black eye. He kicked me in the face a whole bunch.”
Nearly two weeks later, Greenman’s right eye was still red and swollen. He said that the men who attacked him had been marching in a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
“I wanted to go and see what was about. I was wearing the Israeli flag on my back, kind of a cape,” Greenman said.
The assault is being investigated by the NYPD Hate Crimes Unit.
“Based on his identity both as a Jew and as a supporter of Israel. Currently, the investigators are in the process of getting evidence to make an arrest and have a successful prosecution,” Gerard Filitti, a lawyer representing Greenman pro bono, told PIX11.
“Unfortunately, we have seen a surge across New York City and New York state, and even across the country. Jews have been targeted increasingly over the last few years and the levels of antisemitism have been at the highest level now since 1979,” Filitti said.