CBS2 reports the following: Nearly 17 years after Crown Heights became synonymous with racial tension, some say it’s back. A young black man says he was recently set upon by two Hasidic Jews.
Andrew Charles, 20, flanked by his mother and his father – who is a police officer in Crown Heights – told CBS 2 HD he was attacked by two men in Hasidic dress 10 days ago.
“This should not have to happen to no one, and the people that did this to me should be punished for what they did,” he said.
The assault happened at Albany and President streets on April 14 at 6 p.m. while Charles was with a friend. He told police that two Jewish boys, one on foot, one on a bike, went past him and pepper sprayed him.
Michael Pavy, who was outside of his home on the corner told CBS 2 that just a few minutes later, a black GMC Envoy drove up with two Hasidic men inside.
“I saw a Jewish guy get out of the vehicle, and he had a wooden club in his hand. He struck Andrew twice with the club, on his back and his arm,” said Pavy.
Pavy got a license number, but a man brought in by police wasn’t identified in a lineup. Black community leaders believe the attacker was part of a Hasidic community patrol.
But a member of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council told CBS 2 he didn’t believe the patrol was involved in the attack.
Wendy Craig, Charles’ mother, said the attack was very traumatic for her son.
“He’s scared to go on the street. He’s very depressed,” she said.
Residents say there’s a shroud of silence over the community now, and they hope a grand jury that’s been convened to investigate will shed light on who is responsible
Adrew Charles, who is a sophomore at Kingsborough Community College, was treated at a hospital for the injuries he sustained.
Meanwhile, more than two dozen black and Jewish community leaders gathered in Crown Heights to urge calm following the alleged beating. “We use this ugly incident … just to bring us together even more,” said Tzvi Lang, chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, after the two-hour sitdown at the local community mediation center.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes has empaneled a grand jury to probe the attack, drawing praise from Charles’ family.
But at least one official criticized the Hynes probe as special treatment. “There’s got to be one standard for everybody. What makes this case different from all the others?” asked Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park).
(Source: WCBSTV / NY Daily News)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
36 Responses
can somebody shed some light on this?
I DONT KNOW WHY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY THAN WHAT’S BEINg reported.since when did jews attack for no reason? if i had to guess id say that the man did something fully deserving of it!!!
Anyone who believes Yidden attacked an innocent black acting peacefully needs their head examined. There is no doubt that this character is no ”innocent bystander.” And he suststained no lasting physical damage to boot.
That being said, EVEN if he was entirely an innocent victim (which he is not), since when does a police SWAT team storm into a house looking for someone who hit someone in the street (as happened last week at a ”suspects” home)? And since when does the D.A.’s office empanel a Grand Jury to find someone who hit someone in the street?
When Jews suffer far worse assaults the authorities do far less. In fact it is uneard of for this type of mobilization in this sort of routine case. Clearly the fact that it is a cops son plus the additional bonus that the supposed perpertrator is a Jew, who the authorities know do not riot, and would love nothing more than to throw a few in prison for good measure to demonstrate some perverted sense of ”even-handedness” plays a large and overwhelming role in the overreaction to this.
hmmm….. Similar to Glatte Kup, I suspect that there’s more here then is being reported. There’s an old Jackie Mason Clip that discribes a gentile walking down the street and seeing 5 jews walking toward him in the opposite direction. Let’s just say that he didn’t feel the need to cross the street.
To think that he’s depressed and too scared to walk the streets…. that just makes me wonder about the validity of this entire story. The Jews in Crown Heights are not exactly known for their random violent activity.
#4 – Jews do NOT do these kind of things – and you cannot show me cases where they have, and have been prosocuted as such.
So unless you know something else that has not been reported here, and can prove it – get off your anti “whatever” horse and come down to true reality!
I have a feeling that the cop and perpertrator have been envolved
illini07:
What!!!! Jews are “every bit as capable of things like this as anyone else”?
What planet are you on? Unprovoked attacks by Jews are virtually unknown, even in non-religious circles. Capable, but they simply don’t do it as your rather bizarre comment suggests. Study violent crime statistics anywhere and you will know that your comment is way, way off base.
Your first comment is also not good evidence of intellectual firepower. When someone is the accused, they should keep their mouth shut. If there is objective proof, such as independent witnesses or video that show that the accuser’s account is false, that should be provided to the police. I hope you, as a fellow Jew, are willing to give them the benefit of the presumption of innocence. If they are innocent, the time to give their testimony is at trial and not like some shlemeil running his mouth off in the newspaper, where every word will be pulled apart and used against them.
#2,3;
If there was indeed some nefarious purpose that this guy had – if he was up to no good – then #1, the shomrim weren’t protecting life, limb or property, otherwise there would be evidence and witnesses to come forward about it. #2, if they weren’t involved in an immediate response, there is no reason for them to have attacked this guy, they could have and should have called the police. Hey, if the guy was doing something so reprehensible, he could have got 50 bullets in him instead of a beating, and the cops would have walked. But I digress. #3, he is a college student, and The guy’s father is a police officer. Their children don’t tend to be troublemakers, though it is, I suppose possible they could be.
It seems entirely possible that a couple of youngsters as described, pulled some cruel shtick and pepper sprayed this fellow. being scared he might respond, they called for assistance claiming they were being attacked, at which point the assault happened. Do I know this to be the case? Of course not. But it is just as likely as any other scenario. I think those kids need to be found and questioned.
There’s a difference between being dan l’chaf zchus and being a voluntary iveir.
It IS difficult to beleive that a Jew would mess around with an innocent. Afterall, we are bayshonim , rachmonim and gomlei chasodim. However, ILLINI makes a good point. If he initiated this, the victims would have reported it
Everyone needs to open thier eyes. Jews are just as capable, as is any other race or religion, to create violence in thier neighborhoods. We’re not innocent. We’re humans, and though we ascribe to a system that helps us achieve a better state of humanity, some of us don’t execute that behavior.
#4 if the ones responsible would come forward how much thought would the authorities give to their side of the story ? do u actually think that the authorities would givee them a chance? being anti semites like they are? —-An normal Jew is absolutley NOT capable of doing such a thing for no reason and they are not like everyone else
to #4 there you go again mr illin07. this prooves our point now without shadow of doubt that from your other postings shmeked fun kfirah.. but from this post its proven without sofek.. (remember me from the “mr koch article” excuse that we used “mr”, but we do address such personage with respect…) to say that every yid is capable to ramdonly attack non-jew azoi vi zei, is chutzpah,hateful etc etc..but when it came to a person who is oiver kol hatorah kilo (yes mr sinisent, we you know you dont undrstand the word “kilo”)and makes such gevaldige chilil hashem, see mr koch article #11,(as he is public figure so is ten fold worse)you did all you can to meitlz yosher on him . besides the language u yse one can derive so, Signed.. the 6 grade level chid (#39 post on mr koch article para.5)..dear mr illini07 can you finally respond to subject on hand without engaging in ad hominem(i’ll do it for you, here goes…..i am child,below 6th grade lev’el, spling below 4th grate level, b’all gaivah (post $39 “mr koch article),come from those orthodox jews, friend of hama…(by the way from that language olso{reg. spelin “also”} prooves our point) not like moishe rabbeinu, childish responce, ok so its response,, “you people are such children(mr sinisent remeber post #10 overthere..ok did it for you (mr illini07,sinisent) now just stick to the subject..and dont come with this standard “out of context”,because have the hole( excuse, dont have time to whole with “w” wording…a freilechen achron shel pesach,’b’rochnious u’begashmious and WE really mean it and really b’ahavah.also MR koch zol er zein gezunt in stark.. signed from THOSE orthodox jwes..PS in the future posts Emy”H will not correct gremer erors, to mch tim…by the way
Maybe the perps were dressed up to look Jewish… let’s wait and see
#4/illini, He most likely hasn’t come forward knowing based on the circumstances (as I outlined above) the authorities would make a mountain out of an anthill. And why should he put himself in the defensive unnecessarily? Being innocent of this ludicrous charge, why should he extend himself and need to then defend himself against a system that wants to crush him and defend the accuser because the accuser happens to be an officers son and he a mere Jew?
Does the D.A. empanel a grand jury everytime they are looking for someone who hit someone else? Far from it, otherwise the system would be clogged with such cases. The fact that this situation has been elevated far above anything warranted speaks for itself that they are trying to hang an innocent man.
This reminds me of the case in The Bronx in the late 70’s or maybe early 80’s in which a Jewish boy was attacked in the elevator of his apartment building by 2 blacks, one the younger brother of his classmate, and a the other a girl.
The boy put a knife to the victim’s neck while the girl punched him repeatedly.
The black cop who came refused to investigate, despite knowing that the boy lived in the same building, and could have been found without a license plate search or a grand jury or kicking in all doors.
The apparent purpose of the attach was that the black boy perceived the Jewish boy’s complexion to be white, and wanted to impress the girl.
Why the double standard?
Would this cop’s wife agree that the knife to neck incident was traumatic?
At least the brooklyn boy has been spared the trauma of police disinterest.
I’m curious, I didn’t understand how Johny Cochran couldn’t understand how the witness heard an “African American voice”, but I sho do have some idea of what be possible indicators…
“This should not have to happen to no one”
But in this case, how could this fellow in Brooklyn determine the religion of the person who allegedly came out of the vehicle?
Perhaps this Pavy fellow could get a job administering Israel’s Right of Return since he can tell a person’s religion from so far away?
I’m sure there was no racial profiling going on in the investigation of this case.
And by the way, I’m told that if one sees the Jewish wedding scenes in an upcoming Natalie Portman movie that most of the Chasidish-dressed dancers are goyim.
#3:
I don’t know whether you’ll believe me, but i’ve seen numerous beatings from yeshiva bochurim in isael to young arab boys who could’nt be responsible for all of the horrid acts of terror.
from most of these posting we see some siechel, un men heibt shoin un tzu zein az mr illini07 is what we pointed out in other postings ,mostly “mr koch “article…
all this violance has to stop. My close friend was hit in the head by a black male with a hatchet on a fri night a few years ago in BP !! charges were pressed but all he got was one year in prison. we live in a city with a lot of crazys be carefull and if you see or suspect something call police.
to post #7 the yenta…please be careful with your spelling(prosecuted,not prosocuted), otherwise Mr sinisent will get on your back
illini07: there ya’ go again:
In your post #6 to Joseph you say:
“There are several examples of Jews committing crimes unprovoked, and I need not go into specifics on those.”
What do you mean you don’t need to go into specifics? If you are talking about unprovoked violent attacks, you sure do! Otherwise, your allegations are nothing more than the worst kind of loshon hara against the whole Jewish people.
Don’t try to avoid this issue by pointing to financial crimes or some sickos who abuse kids or women. I’m asking about unprovoked violent attacks, which you contend Jews are “every bit as capable of” “like anyone else”.
Put up or apologize to the Jewish people for this slander.
The double standard here is astounding.
The only reason this case even made it past the desk sergeant in the station house is because the victim is the son of a cop.
Far worse crimes have been committed (with many of the victims being Jewish) without a grand jury being convened.
While the attacker certainly should be punished. I do not believe it is even possible for him to receive TRUE justice in this anti-Hassidic biased town.
“Everyone needs to open thier eyes. Jews are just as capable, as is any other race or religion, to create violence in thier neighborhoods. We’re not innocent. We’re humans, and though we ascribe to a system that helps us achieve a better state of humanity, some of us don’t execute that behavior.
Comment by FRimplant — April 25, 2008 @ 11:59 am”
Another illin07 guy!! “Jews are just as capable, as in any other race or religion, to create violence in thier neighborhoods”? That’s just nuts. Capable in a literal sense, yes. A Jew is capable of throwing a punch, pulling a trigger and so on. But in any sense that they actually act out such behavior that resembles the rest of the world by comparison? Ask any cop anywhere where there is a large Jewish community. Even the beat cop knows, Jews don’t mug people, Jews don’t shoot people, Jews don’t stab people. The most violent thing a Jew is likely to do is argue a traffic ticket to death.
The fact that Jews are such an infentesimal part of violent crime statistics is shown in the prison population. Go to any prison and you’ll only find Jews (with EXTREMELY rare exceptions) in the minimum security areas for white collar crimes, like financial crimes.
The fact that Jews are such an infentesimal part of violent crime statistics is also a culturally accepted fact. Is a Jew ever cast in the role of a violent criminal mastermind or some suave James Bond professional killer? How many Jews are in the NFL or the NHL, the two most violent professional sports leagues?
I’m sorry, but your contention, like illini, is just so wrong, especially where it concerns the Orthodox world, such as Crown Heights. You are right that we are not angels, but “just as capable” is nonsense.
illini – If you now claim to rely solely on the omnipotent presence to determine this (alleged) mans guilt — as you now claim above — you are required to oppose any man-made penalty against him as no man can determine his guilt.
Otherwise, we can be quite sure these trumped up charges are just that.
to #24 and #26 yashor koach for taking over “veda mah shetoshiv”……when that person makes such chilil hashem mir wont mention his name anymore he was melamed all kinds of zechs but when comes to yidden shomrei torah he blankets kol yisroel are capaple of doing same ,why, because that person is probably same hashkofos as his but “THOSE ORTHEDOX” are “ugh”
to #22 ok so your giving us the choice so please dont back out ,we are the on the side of avrohom uvinu, so that makes you not on …
ps#4 mr illini07 ..you wrote “jews are EVERY BIT as capable …..” so dont try to swirl out of it and teitch otherwise … stam average person understands by reading, that you are comparing mamush… so back to post #14…(yes i know i’m below average so got someone to read (just kidding lo seshakri even as joke)…again getting late gut yon tov…for closing we will not be me’dameh to the holy chazon ish but just a reyion, and will apply here according to our (low)madreigos, the chazon ish said that he picked the holy “kehilos yakov” for his sister after he saw the khilos yakovs sefer , dont know which one, and felt his yiras shomaim by reading. what were trying to convey is that one can discern from ones writing ,according to words used, dayes expressed whether one is from “THOSE ORTHODOX” jews,see #39 parag.2 or he is not from “THOSE ORTHODOX” jews …
to#26 town shreier…beautiful, a naches tzu leinen…had to reread it few times. are you a reincarnate of the heilige “Barditchiver” ?excellent, a pleasure to read. just cant get over it. mir velen gein tzu de heilige yom tov mit gor anderen tamm!!!
jent1150:
Thank you for your very kind words. Glad if it boosts your Yom Tov experience. Honestly, it’s not hard to write well when you really feel strongly about the subject and I hardly feel stronger about anything than defending the good name of the Jewish people and Hashem.
A Gut Yom Tov to you and all (yes, even to the guys who got this wrong)
illini – The difference between you and I is that I am dam lkav zchus the Jew, while you are not.
That should read ‘dan.’
And you certainly did imply that only the omnipotent could make that determination. If you deny that illini, please explain clearly what you meant by your above (original) reference to the omnipotent.
illini – Glad you clarified that you’ve used the Omnipotent presence as a tool of sarcasm.
I, as mentioned being Dan Lkav Zchus, unlike you AM assuming non-guilt on behalf of the Jew. Apparently your value-system differs from being dan lkav zchus.
We are talking about this particular case, so lets not distract the issue at the moment with other hypothetical possible cases. And let us further not attempt to confuse the issue of dan lkav zchus with the other party in this case.
Let us hear your lack of Dan Lkav Zchus on the Jew in this case. Or are you willing to assume the Jew in this case is INNOCENT?
Sincerely
illini – My question to you is simply how do you justify not believing in this Jew, in this cases, innocence unless being dan lkav zchus is considered a religious relic in your value-system?
illini – If we are to take your last statement at face value, then if the cops arrest Yoni Ploni tommorow you will then suddenly be dan lkav zchus and believe him innocent. Sadly, I doubt that to be the case.
If I am indeed incorrect about such assumption, please so elucidate and make my day.
Baruch Hashem!