A Jewish woman and her husband who were beaten in an antisemitic attack at an elementary school graduation ceremony in Brooklyn are planning to sue New York City for $100 million, the New York Post reported.
Johan Nunez and Lana Lerner were attending the fifth-grade graduation ceremony of their 10-year-old twins when the attack occurred. During the graduation, one of the students walked down the aisle wearing a cap with the words 'Free Palestine' emblazoned on it and waving a Palestinian flag.
After the ceremony, the family of the child who waved the flag accosted the Jewish woman's family as they were taking family photographs, with one man saying "Free Palestine" to them. An argument broke out, and Johan was attacked from behind. He was knocked to the ground, put in a chokehold, and repeatedly punched and kicked by multiple members of the other family, including by a woman who kicked him in the head with her stiletto shoe.
The couple's 16-year-old son attempted to help his father and was also punched in the face. Lana pulled out her phone and began filming the assault before she, too, was assaulted by another woman who pulled her hair, threw her to the floor, and screamed, "I will kill you!"
Johan was hospitalized with injuries to his head and body. The son suffered a bloody nose, and Lana suffered a gash on her leg.
Johan and Lana are now planning to sue the city, accusing the Department of Education of failing 'to provide adequate security measures' at PS 682,' resulting in the assault.
The couple stated that the school “incited hostility” by “allowing an antisemitic message to be displayed at a school event" when the boy was allowed to wear an emblazoned cap and wave a Palestinian flag.
Lana told the Post, “My kids will forever remember their fifth-grade graduation as a time that their family was attacked instead of remembering a joyous event of one of their greatest accomplishments of graduating the fifth grade with honors."
She added, “I hope that no other family has to go through what my family went through and no other child has to witness what my children witnessed.’