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Orthodox Jewish Tourist Attacked in Brooklyn (Updated)

The 65-year-old man was assaulted in Borough Park after a wedding reception

by
Lily Wilf
March 26, 2014
Borough Park. (Wikipedia)
Borough Park. (Wikipedia)

An Orthodox man visiting New York from England was attacked early Tuesday morning after leaving a wedding reception in Brooklyn, the New York Daily News reports. According to officials, assailants grabbed the 65-year-old victim’s face and “smashed his face into the concrete pavement.” The victim sustained a cracked lip and chipped tooth.

The incident is reminiscent of the series of “knockout” attacks that targeted Jews in New York City late last year, which included an attack on a 78-year-old and resulted in at least three deaths.

In a statement following yesterday’s attack, City Councilman David Greenfield said, “It is shocking and disturbing to hear about yet another apparent anti-Semitic assault in our community, especially after so many similar incidents over the past months.”

However police said that the attack might not be connected to the other incidents, since the victim was not punched, the common tactic used in the “knockout” attacks. So far, no arrest has been reported.

Update: According to Gothamist, police say the man recanted his story.

Lily Wilf is an editorial intern at Tablet.