Salem Seleiman was sentenced last week to two years in state prison for his role in an antisemitic hate crime against Joseph (“Joey”) Borgen in Times Square in May 2021, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said.
Seleiman, 30, pleaded guilty on Sep. 29 in New York State Supreme Court to a count of second-degree assault and a count of third-degree assault as a hate crime.
“Salem Seleiman took part in the repugnant and bias-motivated assault of a Jewish man, who was peacefully attending a rally,” Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, stated. He added that “the victim was targeted based on his religion and did nothing to warrant physical violence.”
“In recent years, we have seen increased threats and violence against Jewish New Yorkers, and we want the community to know that our Hate Crimes Unit takes these matters extremely seriously,” Bragg said.
The attack occurred on May 20, 2021, as pro- and anti-Israel rallies took place in Times Square, according to court documents.
Borgen, who was wearing a yarmulke, was thrown to the ground, punched, struck with a crutch, pepper-sprayed and kicked, prosecutors said. During the assault, he said that he was taunted with slurs, including “filthy Jew.”
