A Chicago man who describes himself as a Nazi allegedly told a rabbi on Sunday he would burn him in a gas oven and yelled “Heil Hitler” while goose stepping near a Jewish high school, CWB Chicago reported.
Jay Bollyn, 69, was charged with two counts of felony hate crimes and two misdemeanours.
Judge Susana Ortiz released the defendant on $10,000 bail and electronic monitoring.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Sunday outside Bais Yaakov High School during a parent-teacher conference day.
According to Assistant State’s Attorney Rhianna Biernat, Bollyn stood outside a school fence, asking passersby if they were Jewish and making antisemitic remarks.
Staff from the school told a rabbi about what was going on. The rabbi, who has a security background, intervened in the altercation.
Bollyn then turned his attention to the rabbi, hurling antisemitic abuse at him, including threatening to burn him in a gas oven. He also was alleged to have lunged at the rabbi and showed him his “Nazi haircut.”
When police arrived, the suspect began goose stepping and yelling “Heil Hitler.” Officers placed Bollyn under arrest.