Jewish Student Harassed on NYC Subway in Disturbing Antisemitic Incident

NEW YORK – A Jewish student wearing a yarmulke was verbally attacked on a New York City subway by a man who hurled hateful accusations at him, calling him a “rapist” and a “genocider” and blaming him for the deaths in Gaza, as captured in a video shared online.

The unsettling incident, shared by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) on Tuesday, shows a man, who remains unidentified, berating the student while aboard the 1 train near 96th Street. The man, wearing a black cap and an orange long-sleeve shirt, aggressively shouts at the student from across the subway car.

“He enjoys killing Palestinian Semites. He probably enjoys raping Palestinian Semites too,” the man yells. “This is a genocider who loves to kill babies.”

🚩Sep. 2 — Jewish student subjected to UNHINGED antisemitic harassment on New York subway train.

A student wearing a kippah, clearly Jewish, was on the 1 train near 96th street. Unprovoked, a man called him a "Zio-Nazi" and began to shout at him:

"He likes to kill Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/FrgZsnY6qe

— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) September 3, 2024

The assailant continues his tirade, labeling the student a “Zionist,” a “fake Jew,” and a “bully for the United States,” all while the other passengers in the subway car remain indifferent to the situation.

The man attempts to rally the other commuters, claiming that the US and Israel seek upheaval in Gaza, but his attempts are ignored.

According to CAM, the man’s rant was entirely unprovoked, triggered simply by the sight of the visibly Jewish student.

Liora Rez, founder of the nonprofit group StopAntisemitism, expressed concern over the incident, highlighting that it is part of a broader surge in antisemitic acts in the city since the conflict in Gaza escalated.

“October 7 ripped off the band-aid, exposing a deeply-rooted wave of antisemitism that has been simmering for decades,” Rez told The Post. “These offenders, now emboldened by inaction, feel free to unleash their vitriol and even issue threats against innocent people.”

Rez also criticized the inaction of the bystanders in the video, emphasizing the need for action from city officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, to address the rise in antisemitic incidents.

“Jewish students should be able to move freely on campus, public transportation, and elsewhere without fear of harassment or threats,” Rez urged.

Jewish activist Lizzy Savetsky, who recently had her own encounter with anti-Israel protesters, echoed the call for stronger measures from the city, condemning the attack on the student.

“The student isn’t in Israel, he’s not in the IDF; he’s just trying to ride the train, but he’s being targeted simply because he’s Jewish,” Savetsky said. “The more we allow these incidents to occur, the worse the situation will become.”

This subway incident occurred around the same time that city authorities discovered antisemitic graffiti in Central Park, including messages like “Zionism weaponized Jewish Trauma” and “Israel would bomb your Hospitals too.”