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Suspect arrested in alleged hate crime at Brooklyn yoga studio
By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published Jul 29, 2023
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Courtesy of Yoga Hell
By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published Jul 29, 2023
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A suspect accused of robbing a hot yoga studio in Brooklyn and vandalizing it with a swastika has been arrested, police said.
William Klare, a 40-year-old who lives in the Bronx, was arrested Friday afternoon and is now facing a litany of charges over the incident at Yoga Hell in Sheepshead Bay, including burglary, aggravated harassment and criminal trespass, according to information provided by the NYPD.
Several of the charges are being considered as hate crimes.
A blackboard scrawled with a swastika and obscenities at the Yoga Hell studio. Police are calling it a hate crime.
Courtesy of Yoga Hell
Klare is accused of entering the studio last week when it was closed for the afternoon and drawing a swastika on the chalkboard along with the words “Nazi Punx F**k Off,” according to photos shared with Gothamist by Katia Riva, the owner.
The suspect allegedly removed a mezuzah — traditionally attached to the doorposts of a Jewish home — from its perch and stole the prayer scroll inside it, all while trashing the studio and unplugging appliances, Riva said.
Attorney information for Klare was not immediately available.
Tagged
public safety
brooklyn
hate crime
Michelle Bocanegra
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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