In a case that highlights the severity of hate crimes, Suleiman Othman has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the assault of Jewish man Blake Zavadsky in December 2021. Othman, who recently pleaded guilty to attempted assault as a hate crime, will serve a two-month prison sentence, followed by three years of probation.
The incident occurred in New York, where Zavadsky was targeted solely because of his Jewish identity. Hate crimes profoundly impact the individuals directly affected and the wider community, fostering fear and eroding the sense of safety and belonging. It is crucial that such acts of hatred are met with swift and appropriate legal consequences to send a clear message that intolerance and violence will not be tolerated.
The decision to charge Othman with a hate crime reflects the recognition of the specific motivations behind the assault. By holding individuals accountable for their actions and classifying them as hate crimes, the justice system acknowledges the broader impact of these offenses and the need to address them as distinct from regular criminal acts.
Watchdog groups, however, slam ‘insufficient sentence’ for NYC antisemitic hate crime: “StopAntisemitism is extremely troubled that repeat violent antisemite Suleiman Othman was sentenced to a mere two months in prison,” the group said.
Others commented: “TWO months! Shocked the NYC didn’t just give him a free cell phone & tickets to the ballgame!” “Two months in a “slap on the wrist”! It wasn’t an attempted assault. He punched out Blake. This sentence will empower Jew haters in NYC” said another frustrated resident.
Councilwoman Inna Vernikov praised the verdict: “VICTORY! IN A RARE MOMENT, PERPETRATOR OF ANTI-SEMITIC HATE CRIME HEADS TO JAIL Suleiman Othman, charged in anti-Semitic attack on Blake Zavadsky, plead guilty to attempted assault in the 3rd deg. Hate crime, will spend TWO MONTHS in JAIL, and remain on probation for 3 yrs.”
“In a world where criminals have free reign, I am ecstatic to have played a role in bringing JUSTICE to my constituent, Blake Zavadsky, and his family,” said Councilwoman Inna Vernikov.
For ~ 2 years, we’ve been appearing in court, rallying, protesting, and pressuring those in charge, to make sure that the perpetrator is held accountable. This was a long journey, and I will not stop doing my part to make sure that criminals face CONSEQUENCES for their actions.”
“I’ve waiting for this day since Suleiman assaulted me for my Jewish identity in December of 2021,” said Blake Zavadsky. Considering today’s soft-on-crime policies such as bail reform, & trendy anti-police rhetoric, it is exceptionally rare that a perp. of a hate crime gets jail.
“Today’s victory serves as an important lesson: speaking out and standing up matters! I want to especially thank
Inna Vernikov, former Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Brooklyn DA, & the NYPD. I will continue to be a loud voice in the fight against antisemitism.” said Blake.
🚨 VICTORY! IN A RARE MOMENT,
PERPETRATOR OF ANTI-SEMITIC HATE CRIME HEADS TO JAIL
Suleiman Othman, charged in anti-Semitic attack on Blake Zavadsky, plead guilty to attempted assault in the 3rd deg. hate crime, will spend TWO MONTHS in JAIL, and remain on probation for 3 yrs. pic.twitter.com/9nth7ta3Go— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) May 30, 2023
Another rabid antisemite is heading to prison!
Suleiman Othman received jail time for his role in the Dec. 2021 assault of Jewish man Blake Zavadsky.
Othman plead guilty to attempted assault as a hate crime and will spend 2 months in prison, followed by 3 years of probation. pic.twitter.com/38rJhlloaJ
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) May 30, 2023
Brooklyn DA Alvin Bragg: Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Staten Island Man pleaded guilty to attempted assault as a hate crime for punching a Jewish man who was wearing a hoodie with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) emblem. The defendant was promised a sentence of 60 days in jail and three years’ probation in exchange for his guilty plea.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Brooklyn’s diversity is our strength and we do not tolerate violence that’s motivated by bias against any religious or national identity. The hateful and unprovoked assault this defendant admitted to today left one victim hurt, but also shook an entire community. His conviction, jailtime and probation should send a message that this kind of intolerance has serious consequences.”
Scott Richman, Anti-Defamation League Regional Director for New York and New Jersey, said, “We are grateful to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for securing a hate crime conviction in this case, sending a clear message that those who commit acts of hate-fueled violence, including based on a victim’s perceived associations, will be held accountable. ADL has documented how the Brooklyn Jewish community has been burdened with an outsized number of violent antisemitic incidents, and both law enforcement and the courts play a key role in responding and supporting communities in the wake of these attacks.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Suleiman Othman, 28, of Staten Island, NY. He pleaded guilty today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to attempted third-degree assault as a hate crime in exchange for a promised sentence of 60 days in jail followed by three years’ probation. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20, 2023.
The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on December 26, 2021, the victim, a 21-year-old Jewish man, was standing outside a Foot Locker on 86th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, wearing a green hoodie with a yellow IDF emblem. The defendant approached him in the street and stated: “Why do you support those dirty Jews? What are you doing in my neighborhood? You mess with the killers. If you don’t take off your hoodie, I’m going to punch you.”
When the victim refused, the defendant punched him twice in the face and threw a cup of iced coffee on him. He was treated at the scene for a laceration and swelling to the face. The defendant fled and was identified after being captured on multiple surveillance cameras. He turned himself in to police on January 11, 2022.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sharmalee Brooks-Gordon, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Ari Farkas, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Bureau Chief.
