Two women face hate crime charges for assaulting Jewish person in NYC
Two ladies are facing hate crime charges after reportedly assaulting a Jewish individual who confronted them about tearing down posters of Israeli captives on Manhattan's Upper West Side. According to investigators, the victim was a 41-year-old woman who was attacked near the intersection of Riverside Drive and West 82nd Street shortly before 10 p.m. on november 9.
Mehwish Omer, 26, later turned himself in to police. She was charged with assault and criminal mischief, both of which are considered hate crimes. According to the New York Post, the other defendant, 25-year-old Stephanie Gonzalez, was also detained and is facing a hate crime assault charge as well as an attempted robbery charge.
When the victim confronted the two ladies about putting down the posters, they assaulted her, ripping off her Star of David necklace and knocking a mobile phone from her grasp. Following the incident, they escaped. According to police, the girl received minor bruises to her neck and data-face but rejected medical assistance. Her phone was damaged after the assailants threw it down.
The NYPD stated that neither of the women has a criminal record. Omer was arraigned earlier this week in Manhattan criminal Court. Her lawyer speculated that the altercation was the consequence of a heated exchange of words. "I see enough fights in a day, and people say things just to rattle other people," said Lee Koch, an attorney.
There have been multiple examples of people destroying hostage posters since the Israel-Hamas war began. Several recordings of people performing such activities have appeared on social media in recent days. Mayor Eric Adams had called the instances a "deeply misguided act of disrespect to victims of terrorism." "As we see the fallout from this violence spill over into New York City, we must reiterate that hate has absolutely no place here," he went on to say.
Mehwish Omer, 26, later turned himself in to police. She was charged with assault and criminal mischief, both of which are considered hate crimes. According to the New York Post, the other defendant, 25-year-old Stephanie Gonzalez, was also detained and is facing a hate crime assault charge as well as an attempted robbery charge.
When the victim confronted the two ladies about putting down the posters, they assaulted her, ripping off her Star of David necklace and knocking a mobile phone from her grasp. Following the incident, they escaped. According to police, the girl received minor bruises to her neck and data-face but rejected medical assistance. Her phone was damaged after the assailants threw it down.
The NYPD stated that neither of the women has a criminal record. Omer was arraigned earlier this week in Manhattan criminal Court. Her lawyer speculated that the altercation was the consequence of a heated exchange of words. "I see enough fights in a day, and people say things just to rattle other people," said Lee Koch, an attorney.
There have been multiple examples of people destroying hostage posters since the Israel-Hamas war began. Several recordings of people performing such activities have appeared on social media in recent days. Mayor Eric Adams had called the instances a "deeply misguided act of disrespect to victims of terrorism." "As we see the fallout from this violence spill over into New York City, we must reiterate that hate has absolutely no place here," he went on to say.