Tarek Bazrouk, a 20-year-old anti-Israel agitator, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to hate crime charges stemming from repeated assaults on Jewish counter-protesters in New York City, Fox News reported.
The sentencing hearing, held in Manhattan, included statements from victims, prosecutors, and Bazrouk himself. “I’m sorry guys and hope you can forgive me for my actions,” Bazrouk said, addressing the victims directly.
US District Judge Richard Berman made clear that violence targeting Jews exercising their First Amendment rights would not be tolerated. “If someone assaults an individual because the person is an actual or perceived Jew practicing First Amendment rights, the offender would likely go to jail,” Berman said. “It works the same if the roles were reversed.”
The government had sought a 36-month sentence, arguing the case was “serious” and required a “serious sentence” to serve as deterrence. Berman read excerpts from victims’ letters, including one that stated: “Justice here means sending a message that hate and violence have no place in this city.”
Two victims spoke in court. One described being targeted in a “vicious campaign against Jews,” saying the assaults were “not about the war, but rather about us as Jews.” Another said he did not sense genuine remorse from Bazrouk, adding, “I didn’t feel it in my gut.”
Defense attorney Andrew Dalack argued Bazrouk was remorseful and “has continued to grapple with how those terrible decisions not only affected him … but his family and his community.”
Bazrouk was charged in May with three counts of hate crimes for assaults committed between April 2024 and January 2025. He pleaded guilty to one count in June.
In his statement, Bazrouk admitted to targeting individuals “because of their identity,” and acknowledged punching a victim on January 6. “I am very sorry,” he said, explaining that he is Palestinian Arab and had joined protests to express outrage over Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The Department of Justice cited Bazrouk’s antisemitic bias and support for anti-Jewish terrorist groups, including Hamas. A search of his cellphone revealed messages identifying himself as a “Jew hater” and claiming Jews were “worthless.”
The first incident occurred on April 15, 2024, outside the New York Stock Exchange, where Bazrouk - allegedly wearing a green headband associated with Hamas - lunged at pro-Israel protesters and kicked a Jewish college student in the stomach.
On December 9, 2024, Bazrouk allegedly assaulted a Jewish student near a university campus, stealing an Israeli flag and later striking the victim in the face.
The third incident took place on January 6, 2025, when Bazrouk allegedly punched another Jewish victim in the nose during a protest in Manhattan.