(JTA) — Four people were charged with hate crimes in an assault on a Jewish man in New York State.
The 19-year-old victim was hit on the head with an unsheathed knife Monday in Monsey after his attackers demanded money. The victim screamed, causing the attackers to flee.
Three of the attackers were charged the next day in Ramapo Town Court with two counts of first-degree attempted robbery as a hate crime; the fourth was charged with one count of first-degree attempted robbery as a hate crime.
Police said the attackers, who are between 18 to 20 years old, discussed finding a Jewish victim to rob. The victim wore a beard and side curls, as well as a long black coat.
“This individual was specifically targeted because he was Jewish,” Ramapo Police Capt. Brad Weidel told the Journal News.
Monsey, which is part of the Town of Ramapo and about an hour’s drive from New York City, has a large Chasidic population.
