A group of Jewish boys was chased by attackers firing a taser gun and shouting “Run Jews! Get out of here!” in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, the local chapter of Shmira, a Jewish public safety group, reported on Sunday.
HATE CRIME IN FLATBUSH: These perpetrators are wanted for running after Jewish boy's while firing a taser gun & yelling "RUN JEWS, GET OUT OF HERE." On Ave J and East 16 St. @NYPD70Pct & @FCSPshmira are investigating. Have any info? Call 911 & Shmira 718-871-4444. @NYPDHateCrimes pic.twitter.com/rpUlPTPGgA
— Shmira Public Safety (@Shmira) December 11, 2022
The incident took place on Avenue J and East 16 Street, right near the Flatbush Yeshiva and Touro College’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences. The area is home to a large Jewish community and many Jewish schools and businesses.
Surveillance camera footage from the scene shows a group of Jewish boys running down the street as a group of assailants runs after them shouting. The flash of the taser can be seen in the footage as well.
The antisemitic attack is under investigation by the New York Police Department’s 70th Precinct and the Flatbush Shmira chapter. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 911 or 718-871-4444.
The Anti-Defamation League in New York and New Jersey tweeted that it has taken note of the incident and is reaching out to partners and law enforcement for more information.
Antisemitism on the rise in the Big Apple
NYPD data revealed last week that antisemitic hate crimes across New York City's five boroughs more than doubled in November 2022 compared to November 2021.
There were 45 hate crimes motivated by antisemitism in November compared to 20 in November 2021, according to the NYPD data.
Antisemitic hate crimes have skyrocketed in the Big Apple throughout the year. The worst spike so far occurred in February, which saw 56 anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared to 11 in February 2021.
Haley Cohen contributed to this report.