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Man Shouting "Kill The Jews" Punches UWS Store Owner, Flees On Razor Scooter
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 1, 2015
Modified Dec 1, 2015
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 1, 2015
Modified Dec 1, 2015
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A man shouting anti-Semitic slurs and violent threats assaulted the owner of an Upper West Side Jewish supply store yesterday and then fled on a Razor scooter. According to the NYPD, the unidentified man entered the West Side Judaica shop on 2412 Broadway by West 89th Street around 1:15 p.m. and began screaming anti-Semitic statements, including "fuck the Jews" and "kill the Jews."
After finishing his hateful rant, the man left the shop, but the store's owner followed him outside. Their subsequent exchanged ended when the man punched the shopkeep in the face. (According to ABC 7, he also screamed, "I'm a Muslim.") The 52-year-old victim received medical attention at the scene, and the assailant scootered away.
The NYPD was unable to provide a description of the suspect, but the Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the attack.
Update: JP Updates identifies the victim as store manager Salmon Salczer, a Brooklyn native:
Salczer was inside the Judaica store located at 2412 Broadway Avenue on Monday afternoon when he saw a man pacing outside the store and looking into the glass window. He walked out from the store to see if there was anything suspicious, and as he exited the store, the suspect approached Mr. Salczer and repeatedly punched him in the face while yelling, ” F— You Jews. I’ll Kill You; I’m a Muslim.” The suspect then fled from the scene on a razor scooter, police said.
"I was Scared from the guy because it looked like he was trying to hit me with the scooter," Mr. Salczer told JP.
The Anti-Defamation League has issued a statement. “We are deeply disturbed by this horrific assault and shocked that it occurred in broad daylight in a neighborhood where Jews largely do not fear being singled out for violence,” said Evan R. Bernstein, ADL New York Regional Director. “We are glad that the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating as a potential hate crime."
According to ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, which tracks both criminal and non-criminal acts of anti-Semitism, New York State saw a 14 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2014, including 54 incidents in Manhattan and 147 citywide.
Tagged
anti semitism
hate crime
scooters
Upper West Side
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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