WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES APRIL 22, 2021 3
Councilman Robert Holden joins a rally against hate at Queens Borough
Hall following an anti-Semitic assault in Rego Park.
Courtesy of Cyperstein campaign
Rego Park community
rallies against hate after
latest anti-Semitic attack
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Just days aft er a Forest Hills man
was arrested for allegedly scrawling
anti-Semitic graffi ti on the Rego
Park Jewish Center, another man was
assaulted in the area.
A 56-year-old Rego Park resident
was on his way to a local synagogue
for evening prayer services just before
7 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, when he
was confronted by a 35-year-old man
in front of the Neighborhood Chemists
Pharmacy at 66-02 99th St.
The assailant launched into an anti-
Semitic tirade before allegedly kicking
the victim, according to authorities. A
formal report was fi led at the 112th
Precinct and the NYPD Hate Crimes
Task Force opened an investigation
into the attack.
Councilman Robert Holden joined
Rego Park community leaders for a
solidarity rally against hate at Queens
Borough Hall on the morning of Sunday,
April 18, calling for an end to anti-
Semitic hate and all forms of bigotry
across the city.
“The slogans like ‘Stop the Hate’ are
great, but they have to be backed up, especially
with regards to mental health,”
Holden said. “This hits home. My wife
was born in Japan and is Asian American.
I witnessed the hate against her
when someone called her an Asian slur.
It’s been a constant for my over 47 years
of marriage. If anyone says the hate is
recent, it’s really just being publicized
more, and we are not dealing with it. It
is paramount that we take care of the
mental health issues.”
The latest attack comes aft er Ramtin
Rabenou, 41, was arrested on Thursday,
April 15, and charged with aggravated
harassment and criminal mischief as
a hate crime for allegedly scrawling a
swastika on a sign in front of the Rego
Park Jewish Center as well as graffi ti
at multiple other locations in the area
in February, according to the Queens
district attorney’s offi ce.
Following Saturday’s attack, Rabbi
Nachum Kaziev of Congregation Ohr
Natan met with the victim at the 112th
Precinct.
“We cannot tolerate a hate crime like
this in our community,” Rabbi Kaziev
said. “Every Jew — every person —
should feel safe walking to a synagogue,
their house of worship, or just walking
the streets. It is something that should
not happen in Forest Hills, Rego Park,
or any neighborhood. We do not take
this incident lightly.”
The NYPD has not made an arrest
in the attack and detectives from the
Hate Crimes Task Force continue
to investigate, according to a police
spokeswoman.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, state
Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Assemblyman
Andrew Hevesi, and Councilwoman
Karen Koslowitz released a
joint statement on the attack Tuesday.
“The 112th Precinct and Hate Crimes
Task Force are investigating an incident
in which a Jewish male was subjected to
anti-Semitic hate speech and physically
assaulted by an unidentifi ed man,” they
said. “This occurred only days aft er another
individual was apprehended by
the 112th Precinct in relation to an anti-
Semitic act of vandalism that took place
outside of the Rego Park Jewish Center
this February. We stand united with our
neighbors in condemning these abhorrent,
anti-Semitic attacks upon our fellow
residents. And we trust, that once
again, the NYPD will fi nd the assailant
quickly and bring him to justice.”
Following the Borough Hall rally,
Holden said it was heartening to see
political opponents and people of many
diff erent backgrounds come together
to stand against bigotry and violence
in the city.
“I know the terrible burden of fear
that all racism causes and it has no
place in New York,” Holden said. “We
showed that the great diversity of
Queens County is a strength, not a
weakness.”
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