73 years since the German's gave us
Kristallnact it has occurred once again, this time in Brooklyn.
There’s shock and outrage in Brooklyn today after several cars were torched and numerous pieces of anti-Semitic vandalism took place in Midwood.
The incident was discovered at around 5 a.m., when residents awoke to see cars burning.
At least three cars were set ablaze and dozens of pieces of anti-Semitic graffiti were plastered along benches. The cars were damaged and the benches vandalized along Ocean Parkway between Avenues I and J. Among the vandalism: “KKK” scrawled nearby, as well as numerous swastikas.
“People are nervous, people are concerned,” Assemblyman Dov Hikind said. “The police are putting extra manpower into the community at synagogues and all over.”
“Not a way to wake up on Friday morning going into the Sabbath, definitely not,” said Midwood resident Sherry Tawil.
The incident occurred on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Hitler’s Nazi’s launched a pogrom against Jews in Germany and Austria.
“I’m used to swastikas, but three cars destroyed is a whole new dimension,” said Hikind. “Three cars completely destroyed as if someone had dropped them bomb on them is just a real tragedy.”
“All of a sudden I heard explosion from the metal, I guess from the popping. I look out window. It was like my house was on fire,” victim Arlette Tebele told CBS 2′s John Slattery.
“The burning of cars and vandalism of benches in Midwood this morning represents a truly hateful act of prejudice,” said Public Advocate Bill De Blasio in a statement. “That it took place on the anniversary of Kristallnacht leaves no doubt that this attack is a hate crime in every sense, and I applaud the NYPD for investigating it as such.”
New York City Councilman David Greenfield is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person – or persons – responsible for the incident.
“We will not accept anti-Semitism in our community. There is zero tolerance for such acts of hatred and ignorance,” said Councilman Greenfield in a statement. “I’m confident that these hateful people will be caught and punished to the full extent of the law.”
“This is the most shocking thing we ever saw, never seen before,” said resident Vickie Ayal.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued the following statement Friday afternoon:
“New York City is home to more than 8 million of the most open and tolerant people in the world. But even here, there are occasional incidents involving actions that are hateful or vicious or both. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is actively investigating the twisted person or people who attacked cars, benches, and a sidewalk on a block of Ocean Parkway early this morning. The Hate Crimes Task Force, like so many other teams at our Police Department, is the world’s best, as today’s arrest for swastikas painted in Queens during October and early November shows. In fact, hate crimes are down nearly 30 percent citywide so far this year and are down roughly 33 percent in Brooklyn’s 66th Precinct.
The fact that this most recent attack came on the heels of the 73rd anniversary of Kristalnacht may or may not be a coincidence. Either way, this kind of hateful act has no place in the freest city in the freest country in the world.”
Just a week ago, two libraries and a synagogue in Queens were vandalized with swastikas.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). All calls are kept confidential. You can also log on to the Crime Stoppers website, or text your tip to CRIMES and then enter TIP577.
Source
I grew up in Midwood. This is my old stomping grounds. The place where my friends and I felt safe, secure. There was never any incidents of this kind when we were kids. What has happened?
There has been an upswing in anti-Semitic rhetoric and speech from the Occupy movement. Can we forget
Patricia McAllister and her rant of hatred? Or
this, or
this, or
this. Just 3 of the 49,500 anti-Semitic images associated with the Occupy movement.
Where is the Main Stream Media and their disgust at this level of hatred? Why is the President, Vice President and leadership of the Democratic Party standing next to this movement? Why do they accept and promote such hatred? They have stayed silent on this so long that they have accepted and are fostering this behavior.
73 years ago was the beginning of the Holocaust. For years up to Kristallnact laws were passed restricting the movements, the rights, the occupations of Jews in Germany. Today no such laws have been passed in the United States, but the level of hatred has risen to levels of violence. Given the left's hatred of Jews, can laws restricting them be next? I pray not.
At least three other Jewish-owned establishments in nearby New Brunswick were also similarly attacked, including the Rutgers Chabad House, the Rutgers Hillel and an Israeli-owned falafel eatery.
A report published by the Algemeiner Journal quoted "Facebook rumors" relating two separate incidents in which a local individual made anti-Semitic remarks and threatened to launch a new Kristallnacht -- a reference to the 1938 "night of broken glass" pogrom that launched the Nazi Holocaust in Germany. However, it is not clear whether the two incidents were related, nor is it clear whether all the attacks were perpetrated by the same vandal or vandals.
The newspaper pointed out that Highland Park has recently elected an Orthodox Jewish man as its mayor.
However, police cautioned that it was "too soon to reach a conclusion" as to the nature of the crimes.
