Gov. Cuomo calls anti-Semitic message at Jewish Children’s Museum ‘heinous’

A string of anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn have led the governor to get involved.

News 12 Staff

May 31, 2019, 9:59 AM

Updated 1,811 days ago

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A string of anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn have led the governor to get involved.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called the recent attacks "heinous" and has asked the NYS Police Hate Crimes Task Force to get involved and work with the NYPD to get to the bottom of what happened.
Just before 5 p.m. Thursday, a post was discovered on a wall at the Jewish Children's Museum where people are encouraged to write and post positive messages. Instead, someone wrote "Hitler is coming."
The museum was built in honor of Ari Halberstam, a young boy who was killed in an anti-Semitic terror attack on the Brooklyn Bridge. Organizers say the museum is meant to bring children of all faiths together, which is why the community says this has been so incredibly hurtful.
"For me personally it's like a stab in my heart and murdering my son again and it's also a bone in my throat because I can't imagine how anybody would want to target children, a place for children," says Devorah Halberstam, Ari's mother.
Another anti-Semitic attack happened just days before in front of 563 Flushing Ave.
Police say a 27-year-old orthodox Jewish man was walking down the street when a man on a bike came up and slapped him in the back of the head.
"We have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, discrimination or hate of any kind in New York, and no person should ever feel threatened because of their religious beliefs," says Gov. Cuomo.
There was another alleged attack under investigation that happened near the Bushwick Pool around 1 p.m. Wednesday. News 12 is told a woman sitting on a bench told police two men came up to her and yelled "hail Hitler," used a jacket to cover her head and then followed her as she tried to get away.
Anyone with information on the incidents above is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.


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