A serious act of antisemitic violence occurred yesterday in the Boro Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, when a haredi Jewish man was attacked while leaving a sukkah ahead of the Sukkot holiday.
The elderly victim was sprayed with pepper spray in an unprovoked attack.
Security cameras recorded the attack, in which a man, identified by eyewitnesses as having a Middle Eastern appearance, was seen approaching the victim and spraying him with pepper spray. As a result of the attack, the elderly man suffered eye injuries, including swelling in the eyes.
An ambulance was quickly called to the scene and the victim was evacuated to the hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Volunteers from the Hashomrim organization examined security footage and identified the make and model of the attacker's car. Several volunteers followed the vehicle and called the police, leading to the suspect's arrest.
The NYPD has opened an investigation and is treating the incident as a hate crime. Representatives of the Jewish community in the neighborhood expressed deep concern over the incident and called for increased security in the area.