January 26, 2023
Contact: Matt Nosanchuk | press@nyja.org | (646) 470-3510
Statement of the New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) Condemning Far-right
Incendiary Attacks on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
New York – The New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) is committed to combating antisemitism whenever and wherever it arises and supports the vigorous enforcement of hate crimes laws against those who commit them.
At a time of rising antisemitism, hate crimes, and bigotry, it’s particularly alarming to see far-right extremists weaponize antisemitism to fuel political attacks. Yet that is precisely what happened this morning, when former New York Assembly Member Dov Hikind called for a violent attack on Manhattan’s Black District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, in the name of “combating antisemitism.” At a rally to protest the proposed plea agreement with Waseem Awawdeh, one of the perpetrators of the May 2021 attack on Joey Borgen, Hikind said this:
“These are real victims DA Bragg, real victims and you’re not gonna feel the pain until you get the hell beaten out of you. Maybe then you’ll understand what this is all about. What a shame, how pathetic. . . . And DA Bragg we’re coming home to your home. Just wait”
Hikind’s violence-condoning, hate-fueled attack on DA Bragg reaches a new low, even for a politician known for wearing Blackface.
We want to be very clear: Hikind does not speak for the vast majority of New York Jews who reject violence and extremism and are committed to working with our elected officials and law enforcement to effectively combat antisemitism.
By weaponizing antisemitism to call for violence against an elected official, Hikind and his allies have revealed their protest to be nothing more than cynical extremism, rather than a meaningful attempt to combat antisemitism, bigotry, and violence.
There is real work to be done to combat antisemitism and other forms of bigotry and hate, and DA Bragg’s office has emphasized that the prosecution of antisemitic and other hate crimes is a top priority. We’re gratified that his office fought for and secured $1.7 million from the City Council to expand its Hate Crimes Unit, and that it is holding accountable the alleged perpetrators in the Borgen case. All four face jail time, and two face sentences of 3 1/2 – 15 years if convicted.
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