NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Dozens of people converged on City Hall Park on Sunday for a rally condemning anti-Semitic attacks that have been increasing dramatically in New York.
Demonstrators slammed politicians, the media and even fellow Jews for not caring more about the hateful incidents.
Former Assemblyman Dov Hikind even called on Mayor de Blasio to take sweeping action to stop the trend.
“I’m asking the mayor to declare a state of emergency here in New York with regard to anti-Semitism,” Hikind said.
The NYPD says anti-Semitic hate crimes are up 63 percent this year compared to 2018 and that more than half of hate crimes committed in New York City are against Jews.
Out of the 290 reported hate crimes this year, 152 were anti-Semitic in nature, according to the NYPD. In 2018, there were 93 anti-Semitic hate crimes.
While the majority of the crimes are acts of vandalism, like scrawled swastikas, there has also been violence, including a 63-year-old Jewish man who was attacked with a brick while running in Brooklyn.
“Attacks on Jews are more numerous than all other racial attacks,” Hikind told demonstrators.
Many at the rally criticized de Blasio for what they say is a lack of interest in the issue and a tendency by the mayor to paint it as a right-wing problem.
Morton Klein, of the Zionist Organization of America, said politicians care less about attacks on Jews than on other minorities.
“Not only do black lives matter, but Jewish lives matter,” Klein said.
Hikind expressed similar feelings, saying : “When it comes to Jews, Jewish blood seems to be cheap again here in New York.”
The rally took on a partisan tone at times, with radio talk show host Sid Rosenberg and conservative commentator Deneen Borelli praising President Trump and criticizing Democrats.
Borelli said “most of the violent incidents against Jews in New York City are by black men.” The remark prompted another speaker to defend the black community, saying “they don’t want this.”
1010 WINS has reached out to Mayor de Blasio’s office for comment.