The suspect accused of attacking a Jewish man for wearing an IDF sweatshirt in December has been arrested.
Suleiman Othman, 27, is being charged with assault 3rd degree as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
Blake Zavadsky and Ilan Kaganovich, both 21-year-old college students, were shoe shopping on 86th Street in Bay Ridge on Dec. 26 when they were approached by two men.
Zavadsky said one of the men told him, “Do you mess with the dirty Jews?” and then, referencing Zavadsky’s IDF hoodie, said, “You have five seconds to take off that sweatshirt or I’ll rock you.”
The man then punched Zavadsky twice in the face while the other man threatened to attack Kaganovich. As a final insult, iced coffee was tossed onto Zavadsky’s sweatshirt.
Both men said it was the first time they had experienced antisemitism in New York.
“I am proud to be who I am. I am proud to be Jewish,” Zavadsky said. “And I will still wear that sweatshirt. Nothing is going to stop me from believing what I believe.”
**ARREST UPDATE** Hate Crime Task Force Detectives, assisted by Brooklyn South Warrants, arrested the individual wanted for this anti-Jewish assault.
Arrested:
Othman, Suleiman 27
Staten Island, NYCharges:
Assault 3rd degree/Hate Crime
Aggravated Harassment/Hate Crime https://t.co/JwhQjLEDkm pic.twitter.com/e9MQKJe5zk— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) January 11, 2022
Video footage from 12/26/21 anti-Jewish assault. pic.twitter.com/3rP2SJtgzG
— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) December 28, 2021
We thank the @NYPDHateCrimes for getting this monster off the streets of NYC!
Hopefully @BrooklynDA will prosecute this violent criminal to the fullest extent of the law. pic.twitter.com/ugsxzAfcdt
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) January 11, 2022
🚨 ARREST MADE 🚨
Thank you @NYPDHateCrimes for your dedicated work in apprehending the individual responsible for this antisemitic assault. https://t.co/LHUPTlTzJ5
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) January 11, 2022
