Hate Crimes
Michael Park, 32, performed a Nazi salute and then physically attacked a woman at a subway station in Toronto after asking her multiple times if she was “a Jew.”
The decision was mentioned in a court filing in federal court and comes soon after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stopped federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review.
“Despite our relatively small population, these attacks show no signs of slowing down as our community was targeted the most among religiously motivated crimes,” said Michael Master, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network.
Chana Sutofsky wrote in a Facebook post: “It’s truly a sad day when people whose highest values are peace, performing acts of lovingkindness, self-improvement, study and prayer are targeted by such hate.”
Shmuel Silverberg, 19, of Ohio, attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim, a boys high school and “beit midrash” program for post-high school studies.
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez named the defendants: Daniel Shaukat, 20, of Bensonhurst; Haider Anjam, 21, of Midwood; and Ashan Azad 19, also of Midwood.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he will direct the state’s Hate Crimes Task Force to help investigate the incident.
John Earnest, 19 at the time, called 911 and said he committed the act because Jews were trying to “destroy all white people.”
“To our Jewish community—I know this is exhausting. No one should have to worry about being attacked for their religious beliefs, ever,” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Corbin Kauffman used “various aliases online to post hundreds of anti-Semitic, anti-black and anti-Muslim messages, images and videos,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Michael Park, 32, was first arrested after police responded to the report of an assault of a 33-year-old Jewish man.
The assailant hits a Chassidic man in Brooklyn, N.Y., with a piece of broken furniture.
