Police commissioner Ray Kelly and Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes standing behind a table filled with rifles, handguns and homemade pipe bombs, spelled out an array of charges against a 37-year-old man who they said was responsible for a wave of hate crimes targeting synagogues and Jewish residents in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood.
[Click HERE for YWN video and HERE for pictures of today’s press conference.
They said Ivaylo Ivanov is accused of spray-painting swastikas and spreading fliers reading “Kill All Jews” and “US hates you,” in at least 23 locations – buildings, sidewalks and cars – in a flurry of activity last September.
At a news conference today, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes said Ivanov had been indicted on more than 100 counts of criminal mischief as hate crimes and illegal possession of explosives and weapons, and could face 25 years in prison.
(He was arrested two weeks ago as reported HERE on YWN)
Also announced was the arrest of 22-year-old Pavel Andreenko – who was charged with 44 counts of criminal mischief, and aggravated harassment – including the painting of numerous swastikas (reported HERE on Thursday night by YWN).
DA Hynes spoke about the zero tolerance that the NYPD has with regard to these incidents – and sent a stern warning that people who commit these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Also in attendance today were various elected officials – including NYC Councilman Michael Nelson, NYC Councilman David Yaasky, Chaim Deutsch from Flatbush Shomrim, and various Rabbis from local Synagogues.
(Sources: WCBSTV / AP / NY1)
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8 Responses
To all those people that feel very at home in this country, this is a stark reminder that we are in galus and no matter what anyone says , anti semitism is alive and well in this country.
Indeed. Very well said Rav Mechel.
I would add that there is no place in the world that is free from galus, looking at the sufferings of our brothers in Eretz Yisroel and all over the world — especially the resurgance of blatant anti-semitism in Europe that is tolerated by their ruling classes and elites.
#1 Rav Mechel
First of all you can’t always blame every problem we have on Anti-Semitism
Second of all, This is the greatest country the jews have ever lived in. Do you have no Hakaras Hatoiv?
Third of all, maybe if you wouldn’t build such fancy houses in brooklyn we would not cause so much jealousy and Moshiach can come.
Forth of all, If your so into the golus thing why don’t you move to Eretz Yisroel? There is no better place to feel the true Golus then there.
I just heard on the radio that these guys are actually Jewish!!!!!
Filly (silly)Frum, First of all I am not blaming every problem on anti semitism. I merely said that there are people in this country who feel very at home and this is just a little friendly reminder that we are in galus. Are you going to deny the fact that we are in galus?
Second of all, I am in no way insinuating that this is not the greatest country jews have ever lived in, infact I say hanosen teshuah lamlachim every week without fail, do you?
Third of all I don’t live in Brooklyn and I don’t own a fancy house.
Fourth of all, I am not into the golus thing,I am a maamin.We say every yomtov in musaf, umipnei chataenu galenu meartzenu.That means golus is all around the world and no place is immune from anti semitism .Its a message from hashem that no matter how comforable we feel here lets not forget that there is an ultimate redemption ahead of us and we should be mekabel ol hagolus.
Do you live in Philly because you want to feel the galus?
this whole debate is rediculous! Of course we are in golus. We say it every day in Shmona Esray,”Essah Einy el Heharim!
Rav Mechal is 100% correct. Fancy houses are not the root cause of anti semitism. What about the other fancy things lke go cart tracks. Yes its true. I know some one (for real! a rebbe no less) who said that after he puts in his pool, hes building a go cart track.
And then we wonder about why things are happening in Eretz Yisroel.
It’s no joke.
Gishmak in Lakewood, I don’t believe a real rebbe would do such a thing. I mean that is so beyond gashmiyus, I can’t even imagine what school he “teaches” in. The sad thing is they do this in the name of a mitzvah like building a huge house and saying “the basement is for Hachnasos Orchim”.This must be stopped. (do you know when the gc track will be ready?)