Queens leaders team up to honor staff members
at Bagels & Co. and denounce anti-Semitic threat
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TIMESLEDGER | Q 18 NS.COM | DEC. 3 - DEC. 9, 2021
come and acceptance
in the greatest place
in the world,” said Weprin,
who represents
the district.
On Nov. 10, just after
3:30 p.m., a suspect entered
the establishment
while recording with
his cellphone as he approached
an employee.
“The individual
made threats to the
staff, patrons and business
owner saying he
will break the windows
and burn the building
down unless they took
down the Israeli flags
that are flying with the
American flags on display,”
Weprin said.
The NYPD 111th Precinct
and NYPD Hate
Crimes Task Force is
currently investigating
the incident as a hate
crime.
After speaking with
Deputy Inspector Kevin
Chan of the NYPD
111th Precinct, Weprin
noted that police have
some leads on the individual,
but cannot disclose
the confidential
information. Weprin
says they hope to identify
the individual who
was caught on video
surveillance wearing a
gray hoodie with gray
sweatpants, a black
beret and white headphones.
After commending
the two staff members,
Kevin Vasquez and
Juan Yax, for stepping
up to the perpetrator,
Weprin presented them
with a proclamation.
Although they’re being
hailed as heroes,
Yax and Vasquez, who
are both from Guatemala
and have been
employed at Bagels &
Co. for seven years, say
they were just doing
their job.
“We don’t feel like
heroes — we did what
anyone else would do.
When you live in this
community, you don’t
want something bad to
happen,” Vasquez said.
“We appreciate the
award.”
According to Yax,
he tried to stop the man
from entering the restaurant.
“I didn’t know what
he had in the book bag.
I asked him twice and
saw a gentleman and
another customer outside,
and I chased after
him,” Yax said.
The lawmakers encouraged
bystanders to
step up and speak out
against acts of hate and
violence.
“To combat hate, it
takes each and every
one of us to stand up
against these acts. It
takes everyday citizens
to stand up and speak
out against these incidents,”
Richards said.
“We are also proud
of our Israeli flag in
Queens county and
stand with the Jewish
community, each and
every day.”
While there was a
spike in hate crimes
against the Asian
American community
during the COVID-19
pandemic, Lee noted
the importance of communities
across the
borough supporting
each other.
“We represent so
many cultures, dialects,
communities and
faiths. Whether it’s the
Israeli flag, the turban
on your head, what you
wear, your skin color,
no one should face any
hate discrimination
based on what you wear
or look like,” Lee said.
“We have to make sure
that we are fighting it.”
Rabbi Manes Kogan,
of the Hillcrest Jewish
Center at 183-02 Union
Tpke., said people
should not fear representing
who they are.
“We need to make
sure that we are equal
before the law. We
should keep the flags
up, and be proud of who
we are and not be afraid
of showing what makes
us unique in our communities,”
Kogan said.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email
at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Queens lawmakers
and community leaders
gathered outside of
Bagels & Co. in Fresh
Meadows on Monday,
Nov. 22, to denounce
the recent anti-Semitic
threats made against
the establishment and
to honor two staff members
who bravely confronted
the perpetrator.
State Assembly
members David Weprin
and Clyde Vanel, Councilman
Barry Grodenchik,
Councilwomanelect
Linda Lee and
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards
voiced their support
for the Jewish community
while stamping
out hate in the “World’s
Borough” during a
press conference at
188-02 Union Tpke. on
Nov. 22.
“No acts of anti-
Semitism or hate of
any kind is acceptable
in this community.
Queens is the most
diverse county in the
United States and we
must try to embody and
defend the spirit of wel-
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