Jewish advocacy group Americans Against Antisemitism released a report on Tuesday that detailed what they said was a shocking lack of consequences for perpetrators of violent hate crimes against Jews in New York City.
“Over the past four years all of us have observed the incredible outbreak of antisemitism, of Jew hatred directed against the Jewish people of New York,” the organization’s founder Dov Hikind said.
“The numbers year after year are unprecedented. We have never seen anything like it. Jews being assaulted for the simple reason that they are Jews, that they are identifiably Jewish.”
Hikind said that the Americans Against Antisemitism report looked at antisemitic hate crimes and prosecutions.
“What is happening to those who are arrested for committing vile acts of Jew hatred? Most are not arrested. Most acts of antisemitism, no one is arrested. But those who are arrested, what happens? What is the result? Are we tough, are we strong, on the bad guys? And the conclusion of this report is that attacking Jews, assaulting Jews… the criminal justice system of our city will not penalize you. You will not pay a price, you don’t have to worry.”
“If you want to attack Jews, come to New York. Because there will be no consequences,” he added.
Hikind said that of the hundreds of attacks that they examined, many of the cases would “disappear” or the penalties were lowered.
“All kinds of things happen except one thing: You will not pay a price. This is what’s going on in New York,” he said.
He questioned the approach Jewish organizations have been taking in response.
“Is it going to be the same same as we’ve been doing where it has gotten us absolutely nowhere. Why is no one monitoring those who were arrested for antisemitic acts? We did it.”
Hiking called out the ADL for not keeping track of alleged perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes once they have been arrested.
“Why doesn’t the ADL do this? This fundamental thing. We need to do better,” he said. “There needs to be a price, a real price, if you attack a Jew. If you commit an act against the Jewish people, you are going to pay a price. And that is not the case in New York today. The New York of today is attack Jews and you have nothing to worry about. This cannot go on.”