Violence is never acceptable and should never be tolerated, but violence is especially abhorrent when it is used against an innocent person targeted solely for the color of their skin or their religion.
Sadly, communities that have seen and experienced enough violence and persecution continue to be targeted. Recently, Brooklyn’s Jewish community has been left on edge after a string of anti-Semitic attacks was caught on camera…
A Dedicated Student
At around 1 a.m., 22-year-old Mendel Super was walking down President Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, which is home to a Hasidic Jewish community. Super was originally born in Australia but moved to New York to study at a yeshiva school in Brooklyn.
The Phone Call
Super had been dedicating his time at the school, which focuses on the study of traditional religious texts like the Talmud and the Torah. According to the 22-year-old, he has been walking down the street by himself and was talking on the phone with his dad who was back in Australia.
A Typical Route
“It was just after 1 a.m.,” the 22-year-old told The New York Post. “I was talking on the phone with my father in Australia on President Street — really in the heart of Crown Heights.” Super had walked that same path countless times and never felt unsafe or threatened.
Looking For Trouble
That night, however, Super became the target of three attackers who had gone out looking for Jewish people who they could violently assault. Yet because Super was on his own talking on the phone, he didn’t notice the three attackers as they started to creep up on him.
A Surprise Attack
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old only realized the danger he was in when it was too late. “Suddenly, from behind me out of nowhere, I just got punched in the face really, really hard,” Super said about the shocking and scary experience that left him shaken.
Surprised And Outnumbered
Since the attackers outnumbered Super three to one, he didn’t stand a chance against them and couldn’t even try to flee. The 22-year-old was pushed to the ground but he was surprisingly not mugged during the attack. Thankfully, Super wasn’t badly injured and was left laying on the ground in shock.
An Anti-Semitic Assault
“They didn’t say anything at all. Next thing I know, I was on the floor — my yarmulke and glasses in the gutter somewhere,” Super explained. “It was just an attack of hate and anti-Semitism I guess ’cause I look identifiably Jewish,” he added about the hate-fueled assault.
Looking For The Next Victim
“I just really felt so helpless lying on the ground there,” Super said. “Nothing that I could do. It was the scariest experience of my life.” Sadly, the three men weren’t finished for the night. They continued walking around the Crown Heights area until they came across their next target.
The Next Target
This time, their victims was a 51-year-old Hasidic man who they decided to attack just because he was wearing his religious garb. Like Super, the 51-year-old, whose name has not been released to the public, did not see the three young men coming.
The Police Arrive
After surprising him and outnumbering him, the three attackers proceeded to beat the man until he was left helplessly laying on the ground. Police were immediately called about the two attacks and quickly arrived at the scene of each hate crime.
Giving A Statement
According to Super, he was more in shock and wasn’t badly injured so he refused medical treatment. Instead, he went straight to the police station so he could submit a statement about what happened. While there, Super saw the other 51-year-old victim.
In Bad Shape
Sadly, he was in worse shape and was taken to NYU Langone Hospital. He ended up needing to be admitted so doctors could treat his injuries. “He was quite shaken up,” Super said about the second victim. “He was beaten up far worse than I was.”
Linked Attacks
Because of the time, proximity, similarities between both attacks, and the fact that both victims were Orthodox Jews, the police determined that the assailants were likely the same three young men. With the community on edge with a rise in violent hate crimes, the police assured the community they would take the attack seriously.
A Serious Issue
“We allege that this senseless and violent attack was motivated by bias and are determined to hold the defendants accountable,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “We must all stand up against the proliferation of hate crimes and work with all communities to promote tolerance and unity.”
The Suspects
During their investigations, the police discovered that the second attack of the evening had been caught on a nearby security camera. Soon after, officers managed to track down two of the three suspects. After getting them in custody, the police charged 18-year-old Nazar Walters and 21-year-old Teshon Bannister.
The Charges
For the crimes, the two suspects were charged with assault and hate crimes. At that point, the police turned their attention on finding the third assailant. Not long after, they found and arrested 20-year-old Joshua Peters. After he was charged, Peters, Walters, and Bannister were all arraigned in court for the crime.
Opportunity For Growth
Meanwhile, Super decided to use the experience as an opportunity for teaching as he is also involved with New York City’s Released Time Program, which educates public school kids about Judaism. “I really wanted to take the day off,” he said. “I wasn’t really feeling that well, my head was still pounding – but I felt compelled now more than ever to go.”
Inspiring The Youth
“I wanted to teach and inspire these children…because imagine if these assailants had an opportunity like that 10 years ago. Maybe they wouldn’t be like this today,” Super said. “Everyone needs to recognize that life is bigger than just you. God created all of us.”
All The Same
“No matter what race or creed we may be, everyone is important to God. I think when we recognize that, we will come to appreciate the value of each and every individual, especially if they’re different from us. But unfortunately, this isn’t a new thing in our neighborhood,” the 22-year-old said.
Channeling The Rage For Good
“The rage that builds up inside you, you gotta channel that for good,” Super added. “Yes, it’s happening on a daily basis…And the police are great – I’m very thankful for them and their quick response. But ultimately the solution is really prevention and educating our youths. I think people need to focus more on the educational aspect to make sure kids in school today aren’t going to be doing this when they get older.”
