The NYPD has made two arrests in connection with a recent hate crime assault on the Upper West Side on Manhattan.

The arrests follow an incident in which a female victim was attacked by two individuals while she was recording them removing Israeli missing person posters from a light pole. The incident took place at approximately 9:55 p.m. near Riverside Drive and West 82nd Street on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

During the altercation, the victim, a 41-year-old woman, was physically assaulted by the two women, who also forcibly removed a Star of David necklace from her neck. The attackers knocked the victim’s cell phone out of her hand and onto the ground, resulting in damage to the device.

Despite suffering minor injuries to her face and neck, the victim declined further medical attention at the scene.

On Monday, Stephanie Gonzalez, a 25-year-old female from Yonkers, NY, was taken into custody by the NYPD. Gonzalez faces charges of attempted robbery and hate crime assault.

Additionally, Mehwish Omer, a 26-year-old female residing at 170 West 107 Street in New York, NY, was arrested and charged. Omer faces charges of hate crime assault and hate crime criminal mischief.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)