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| "Knockout Game" anti-Semitic attacks |
New York has recently witnessed a spate of anti-Semitic attacks, as part of a wider phenomenon known as the "knockout game," in which gangs of black youths sucker punch innocent passersby - particularly targeting Jews in parts of New York. In response, police have arrested the alleged attacker of a 12 year old Jewish boy who was a victim of the "game."
The suspected attacker, a 13 year old, was charged with third-degree assault and aggravated harassment, reports CBS. He was released to his mother's custody until his appearance in court on Wednesday.
The Jewish boy who was attacked on November 6 in Crown Heights asked not to be
identified. He is a religious yeshiva student, and said the attack could have been prevented if "the boys and teens would know that there’s always a G-d watching them, and they wouldn’t only be afraid of the police."
After the boy was attacked witnesses reported the black youths jubilantly shouted "we got him!"
The attack prompted two Crown Heights public officials, Public Advocate-elect Letitia James and Councilman David Greenfield and Councilman-elect Chaim Deutsch, to offer a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attackers.
Black youths have generally targeted visibly Jewish men, but children such as the12 year old, as well as women have also been victims.
The wanton assault has reached the point where even a 78 year old Jewish woman was recently targeted and beaten.
Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, director of the Jewish Future Alliance, told Arutz Sheva last week that the Jewish community in Crown Heights met with local government representatives and leaders of the African American community to discuss preventative measures against the rampant anti-Semitic attacks.
Behrman further noted that police presence in Jewish neighborhoods was being boosted to counter the attacks.
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