Anas Salah, the antisemitic pro-Palestinian protester who demanded that “Zionists” raise their hands on a NYC subway train and implied a threat of bodily harm, has received just four hours of community service and an anti-bias training course, as his punishment.

The incident occurred on June 10, 2024, when Saleh, accompanied by a group of masked anti-Israel demonstrators, boarded a subway car at Union Square Station. Video footage showed him demand, “Raise your hand if you’re a Zionist,” followed by a warning: “This is your chance to get out.”

A week after the incident, the NYPD’s chief of transit shared an image of Saleh online, asking for public assistance in identifying him. He was later arrested and initially faced charges of coercion and attempted coercion, which carried a possible one-year prison sentence. However, those charges were dismissed due to what prosecutors described as “facial insufficiency” in the case.

Following discussions with a complaining witness and consideration of Saleh’s clean criminal record, prosecutors opted to offer him a path to have the remaining charge removed. They also noted that Saleh had previously completed a workplace-mandated program, though details were not disclosed.

Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, strongly condemned the decision.

“A mere four hours of community service and an anti-bias course for blatant antisemitic harassment? This is not justice—it’s a disgrace,” Rez told The New York Post. “This weak response sends a dangerous message: antisemitism is tolerated.”

The Community Security Initiative (CSI), an organization focused on protecting Jewish institutions in the New York metro area, also criticized the legal framework that allowed for such a lenient outcome.

“We are deeply concerned that New York’s current hate crime laws do not classify Mr. Saleh’s actions as a hate crime,” CSI said in a statement. “He deliberately used the term ‘Zionist’ in the same way other hateful slurs are used. We call on the New York State Legislature to update existing laws to ensure that perpetrators of such incidents face appropriate consequences.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)