NYC Mayor de Blasio Under Fire for Singling Out 'Jewish Community' with Arrest Threat
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is facing criticism after he personally oversaw the police dispersal of a funeral for a Hasidic Jewish rabbi and followed that up with a tweeted threat of arrest that singled out the city’s Jewish community.
De Blasio’s Twitter rant grew out of the funeral for prominent Orthodox Rabbi Chaim Mertz, which took place Tuesday in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. At one point, hundreds of Orthodox Jews gathered in the streets, according to the New York Post.
The mayor directed police to break up the crowd, according to The New York Times.
Although some mourners wore masks, many did not. The crowd was largely packed together. Most did not observe the social distancing rule of keeping 6 feet apart.
The funeral yesterday in Williamsburg for Rabbi Chaim Mertz, grand rabbi of the Tolaas Yaakov community, which NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized yesterday… pic.twitter.com/eGmcKPe0G5
— Jeremy Sharon (@jeremysharon) April 29, 2020
Once the crowd was dispersed, de Blasio went on Twitter to condemn the city’s Jewish residents.
“Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic,” he said.
“When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus.”
Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic. When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
“My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period,” the mayor tweeted.
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
The mayor ran into a firestorm of criticism.
What???
This has to be a joke. Did the Mayor of NYC really just single out one specific ethnic community (a community that has been the target of increasing hate crimes in HIS city) as being noncompliant?? Has he been to a park lately? (What am I saying – of course he has!) https://t.co/LYKnUZm2Mc
— Councilman Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) April 29, 2020
But singling out one community is ridiculous. Every neighborhood has people who are being non-compliant. To speak to an entire ethnic group as though we are all flagrantly violating precautions is offensive, it’s stereotyping, and it’s inviting antisemitism. I’m truly stunned.
— Councilman Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) April 29, 2020
Hey @NYCMayor, there are 1mil+ Jewish people in #NYC. The few who don’t social distance should be called out — but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews. This erodes the very unity our city needs now more than ever. https://t.co/jcYO9QQred
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 29, 2020
“The Jewish Community”? Which one? The Modern Orthodox on the UWS? The Reform alter cockers on the UES? The Syrian Jews of Midwood? The Bukharians of Queens? Oh, wait, you mean the Satmars of W’burg. Why don’t you say so instead of inflaming antisemtism, you imbecile.
— Lawrence Lewitinn (@lvlewitinn) April 29, 2020
The NYPD hates you though. They’re not going to round up Jews for you, Red Bill.
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) April 29, 2020
Hey @NYCMayor, there are 1mil+ Jewish people in #NYC. The few who don’t social distance should be called out — but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews. This erodes the very unity our city needs now more than ever. https://t.co/jcYO9QQred
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 29, 2020
De Blasio tried to say he was not singling out one group.
“We have lost so many these last two months + I understand the instinct to gather to mourn. But large gatherings will only lead to more deaths + more families in mourning. We will not allow this. I have instructed the NYPD to have one standard for this whole city: zero tolerance,” he tweeted.
We have lost so many these last two months + I understand the instinct to gather to mourn. But large gatherings will only lead to more deaths + more families in mourning. We will not allow this. I have instructed the NYPD to have one standard for this whole city: zero tolerance.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
Jewish community activist Isaac Abraham noted that there was no mayoral scolding of city residents who violated social distancing rules during a Tuesday flyover by the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds.
“The crowd for the fighter jets today were around longer than the funeral,” Abraham told the Post.
He also said the police helped plan the funeral and knew a large crowd would attend.
“There’s an old saying. Don’t rain on our parade,” Abraham said. “To run back to City Hall and send a tweet — this is kicking your friend when they’re down. Way down.”
Last month, de Blasio threatened to permanently shutter churches and synagogues, just weeks ahead of Easter and Passover.
“I want to say to all those who are preparing the potential of religious services this weekend — if you go to your synagogue, if you go to your church and attempt to hold services after having been told so often not to, our enforcement agents will have no choice but to shut down those services,” he said. “No faith tradition endorses anything that endangers the members of that faith.
“So the NYPD, Fire Department, Buildings Department, and everyone has been instructed that if they see worship services going on, they will go to the officials of that congregation, they’ll inform them they need to stop the services and disperse.
“If that does not happen, they will take additional action up to the point of fines and potentially closing the building permanently.”
Meanwhile, the mayor announced last week that his administration would be providing free meals to Muslims celebrating Ramadan.
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