By: Ilana Siyance
An Jewish orthodox man, in his car with his son, was beaten on Wednesday afternoon.
As reported by the NY Post, Yosef Hershkop, 31, was driving on Montgomery Street in Crown Heights when he was attacked in front of his five-year-old son. The crime is being investigated as a hate crime, though for now the suspects are still at large. As per the police report, four men had approached his car claiming that he hit their car and demanding payment. He asked them how much they wanted and when they didn’t respond, Hershkop said he would call the police. That’s when one of the assailants began punching him, leaving bruises on his face and cuts on his lip, police sources reported. Hershkop then gave them $100 and the group fled in a white sedan. Hershkop was transported to the hospital in stable condition.
There is video footage of the assailants surrounding his car, as tweeted by the local Shomrim patrol. “Our Volunteers responded to a brutal assault by a few thugs. Despite a fast response the victim was in shock and wasn’t able to give details. Thank you to Hatzalah and@NYPD71Pct for responding. If you see this silver sedan please call 911 and Shomrim .#YourCityYourCall,” the official CH (Crown Heights) Shomrim patrol posted on their social media feed.
A follow up was posted on Twitter Thursday by Chabad Lubavitch, saying: “Update: Yossi was released from the hospital last night. Still traumatized. He has extensive facial and oral pain and requires follow up treatment. Here’s additional footage of the victim being chased down”. The footage shows two suspects getting out of a white car and two more running from down the street, approaching Hershkop’s car before punching him in the face.
“As you may have heard I was attacked yesterday in my neighborhood of Crown Heights in front of my 5 yr old son. I really appreciate the outpouring of support and care. I am thank G-d back home. I can’t discuss much else at this time,” Hershkop tweeted on Thursday. His voicemail was full and he did not respond to a text from the Post on late Saturday. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made yet.
The attack prompted outrage among those who know Hershkop as well as city political leaders. “Antisemitic hate crimes have been on the rise this year in NYC. And now this sickening attack today on well-known and respected community leader Yossy Hershkop,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine tweeted Wednesday. “We can not become numb to this. We cannot allow this to continue in our city.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Suffolk) also took to Twitter, saying: “Antisemitism in all forms must be unequivocally identified, called out & crushed. Too many in power look the other wayregarding this violence rather than having the courage to turn our streets back over to law-abiding citizens. We must all stand with Yossy Hershkop & his family.”
