The following statement was given to YWN:
For over three decades the Williamsburg Shomrim Safety Patrol has acted as the eyes and ears of the community. Its members are dedicated community servants who take responsibility for protecting our neighborhood, not endangering it. Over the years we have collaborated closely with the NYPD and our efforts have led to the successful arrest and prosecution of dozens of suspects for attacks against Jews and non-Jews alike. Reports that all five of the defendants indicted today are members of our organization are not true, and the acts alleged in these indictments are contrary to our mission and our membership. The Williamsburg Shomrim Safety Patrol condemns all acts of vigilantism in any form and treats all members of the greater community with the dignity and respect they all deserve.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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17 Responses
This comes from the same wannabe cops that encourages the community to report crimes to them first or only to them, and delay real police action. Half of them have never seen the inside of a gym and they want to “spring” to action.
My experience with Shomrim has been only positive. i know one active member of the Boro Park Shomrim, he is high up on the hierarchy there and is a wonderful sincere person
Note the exact wording: not all five of those indicted are members of Shomrim. How many are, 1, 2, 3 or 4? Of course none of those 1, 2, 3 or 4 are guilty until a case is proven against them etc. etc. Like other self help groups within our community, the Willi Shomrim do many great things but they also play at being cops just a little too often.
It’s great to hear the correction of the fact that not All Five were Shomrim Members.
But, the reason Shomrim was there altogether was because of neighbours called them suspecting him with no evidence that Maybe he’s a criminal.
Fact: Police was Not Called. Shomrim and others committed a Gang Assault in the First Degree. They should come out and not deny it.
The problem in the case of the assault on Mr. Patterson was not that there were some cop-wannabees in the attack. The problem was that there were, evidently, some thug-wannabees in the attack, and they succeeded in being thugs. I have no idea whether any of the named defendants were the actual attackers, and I hope the police can succeed in finding and prosecuting the actual attackers, whoever they are. Assaults on innocent people, which appears to be the case with Mr. Patterson, do not protect a community from anything.
Roshvrishon: I’ll second you; that’s my experience too.
Avreimi: And what do the cops play when they mete out on the spot extrajudicial punishment and play judge, jury, and executioner? Rather what do they pay? The homeless Jew in crown heights got a pittance (and only because there was video to prove it – He was initially charged with ELEVEN accounts!!!) while the cop (cops) went Scott free. Don’t know the story; but even some members of Shomrim can sometimes go overboard; they have from whom to learn.
BoroPark: And in the holy police department; pray tell me what “half” of them who have seen the inside of a gym, what makes them spring to action? Wannabe a what? Now tell me what the Shomrim wannabe? I guess wannabe cops sometimes act like some real cops; not the other way around.
Anonyomus: you are anonymous; the story is anonymous; we don’t have a clear story. What we know is that he was drunk (not a crime) am told he broke mirrors and did other things (cannot verify); but one thing is sure positive; that no one attacked an innocent man on the street just like that. Not justifying anything; only being fair. That’s the least everyone should do.
Nfgo3: Thug wannabees? Is that your verdict and not merely how it appears to you? When was the last time a Jew (any Jew) attacked an innocent man on the street? Do you know that non-Jews park their car in from of my house because they find it safer than in front of their own house? Do you know that they walk through my neighborhood because they find it safer than in any other neighborhood? Do you know that they want to live here surrounded in all eight sides by your “wannabe thugs”; because they feel it safer to live here. With friends like you who needs enemies?
So #7 Ben Melech [the name says a lot about how you perceive yourself] what do we learn from you: that two wrongs make a right. Of course the cops shouldn’t beat innocents for no reason. But because they have been found to have done so on too many occasions, does that mean that the Bnei Melochim of Wilki Shomrin can?
Avreimi brother: Yes; I perceive myself a Ben Melech and so do I perceive you and all Yidden. I Do not consider myself any better then another Yid.
I gave myself this name exactly for this reason, to remind me to act like a Ben Melech. If one perceives themself as a nobody then they act like a nobody. We are Bnei Melochim; the Am Segula; Mamleches Kohanim Vegoy Kodosh; as your name Avrohom so clearly implies.
You can ask yourself, what makes a Willi Shomrim tick? Any different than a Boro Park or other Shomrim? Or for that matter what makes any good cop (with good intentions) tick?
What I cannot stand is the bigotry among ourselves to Williamsburg; that is what makes my blood boil.
I love you all, even the ones I criticized.
avreimi: Every Jewish man is a Ben Melech. Do *you* perceive yourself as non-Jewish?
Ben Melech is 100% correct in all his above comments.
Is Ben Melech really one of the the Am Segula; Mamleches Kohanim Vegoy Kodosh?
Re Comment No. 10: Since I am not a jury foreman, I cannot give a verdict. But, yes, it is my opinion that the injuries to Mr. Patterson, including the loss of vision in one eye, is convincing evidence that his attackers were thugs, at least at the time of their attack on him. I do not know whether any of his attackers are Jewish, and I don’t know how many times a Jew has made an unprovoked attack on another person, but I was not talking about Jews or any other ethnic or religious groups, I was talking about Mr. Patterson’s attackers, whoever they are.
If you want to see a ghastly picture of Mr. Patterson after he was attacked, see the photo accompanying the online article posted by the New York Daily News dated 12/10/13. Look at that picture and then decide whether his attackers are thugs.
What will all you couch critics say when the truth comes out at trial and they are all vindicated? None of you were there, and yet you reached a verdict.
Have any of you considered the facts and the other side of the story? Have any of you seem the nypd Twitter campaign? As the commissioner said yesterday, Police work is not pretty work, yet that doesn’t make it criminal.
The fact is he was in the process of damaging private property. He was so intoxicated that he recalls none of it, and has never denied it. As allowed by law, a citizen may stop and detain a crime in process. If in the process of attempting to do so the suspect becomes violent, he may absolutely protect himself. If in the ensuing struggle he becomes injured, that is not assault and not criminal in nature.
A video was taken, and it will be used to clearly vindicate these individuals.
Thanks Reb Moshe.
ny100k: your analogy to what the police commissioner said yesterday is a good one, and a correct one. The photos might not be pretty; but it still needs to be put in context. Shomrim work, like police work, is not pretty. The Hatazalah and Chaveirim and other Jewish volunteer organizations have prettier pictures.
And nfgo3; I “do” know how many times a Jew has made an unprovoked attack on another person. As a Jew who has been attacked a few times in my life for being a Jew; and as a Jew with a social conscience, I can testify that no Jew I know, has ever attacked a non-Jew just like that. The fine gentiles we live among know this, and it is about time that we Jews (who love to hate other Jews somewhat different then us) know it too.
The truth be told that I wrote here because I have an account here, as Yeshiva World is one of the more Kosher places on the internet; but really should have written my comments in VIN and similar places dripping in vitriolic comments. I wrote it here but I meant them. I teach my children that hate is a Midah Megunah; Pahst Nisht (unfit) for Bnei Melochim; and try to live that way.