A pro-Palestinian activist accused of brutally assaulting a pro-Israel Jewish man in April has been charged with a hate crime by federal prosecutors.
Saadah Masoud allegedly beat up Matt Greenman due to his “actual and perceived religion” after a pro-Palestinian demonstration on April 20 in Manhattan, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Manhattan US Attorney’s office, the New York Post reported.
Greenman was part of a pro-Israel counter protest. He had the Israeli flag draped around himself when he was attacked. The 28-year old was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for a concussion and other injuries, according to the criminal complaint.
In the now unsealed June 10 complaint, special agent Lavalle Jackson testified that Masoud had been part of two other assaults against Jews in 2021.
The court filing alleged that in June 2021 Masoud threatened a Jewish leader in Brooklyn, telling him, “We know where you live, we will get you” and then punching him twice in the head and the body.
The next month, he allegedly punched a Brooklyn man carrying an Israeli flag in the face, the document detailed.
It also mentioned the suspect threatened pro-Israel supporters on Instagram, highlighting a post in which he said: ”I wish I could show you the things I do to Zionist but I can’t post them.”
He also allegedly wrote, “Just keep watching my stories I’m going to keep violating you dirty Zionist” and “I feel bad for you Zionist people when judgment day comes and we slaughter all of them like sheep.”
The pro-Palestinian protest Masoud was part of was organized by Within Our Lifetime Palestine, a group which is active on CUNY campuses and supports “resistance by any means.”