NYC mayor launches investigation into pro-"Israeli" attacks on women

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched an investigation into two violent incidents that unfolded during protests surrounding the visit of "Israeli" National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to Brooklyn last week.

The far-right "Israeli" official, known for his hardline views, was in New York as part of a week-long US trip that included stops at Yale University and President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. His only public engagement in New York City took place at the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights—an event that drew significant backlash and counter-protests.

In a post shared on X on Sunday, Adams stated, “The NYPD is investigating a series of incidents stemming from clashing protests on Thursday that began when a group of anti-Israel protesters surrounded the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters—a Jewish house of worship—in Brooklyn.”

Hate has no place in New York City. https://t.co/8wlliBFjMx

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 27, 2025

Adams went on to describe two specific cases, “Initial reports indicate that one female protester was isolated from her group, harassed by counter-protesters, and suffered injuries. In another incident, a second woman was surrounded and subjected to vile threatening by counter-protesters.”

While Adams did not explicitly identify the attackers as pro-"Israel" demonstrators, online footage and eyewitness accounts appear to support that characterization.

In one video, a protester is seen having her Palestinian flag ripped away before being shoved to the ground. She later appeared on social media with visible facial injuries, identifying herself as an anti-Zionist Jewish woman with an "Israeli" passport. “The only thing that gives me some joy is that while all the zios were celebrating and laughing at me, I’m over here thinking y’all hit a Jew w. a damn israhelli passport!!! Great job,” she wrote on Instagram.

In the second reported case, a local resident not affiliated with the protest told the Associated Press (AP) she was surrounded by a large group of pro-"Israel" demonstrators who allegedly threatened to rape her and followed her while chanting “Death to Arabs.”

J Street, a liberal Zionist organization, condemned the attacks and linked the violence to Ben Gvir’s presence, saying, “This grotesque behavior is a direct result of the hatred, violence and impunity modeled by leaders like Ben-Gvir.”

Mayor Adams praised the NYPD’s response, stating, “I commend the NYPD officers who handled this dangerous situation with professionalism and restraint.”

However, Nerdeen Kiswani, founder of the pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, sharply criticized both the police and the mayor’s statement. “The NYPD allowed the violence to unfold, even escalating it by siding with the attackers,” she said. “The mayor’s failure to mention Ben Gvir or his role in provoking this violence is exactly why these Zionist mobs are emboldened.”

Ben Gvir’s visit has sparked controversy across multiple states. Several Jewish organizations reportedly declined to host him due to his open opposition to a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, along with his far-right positions that many consider extremist. While he met privately with senior Republicans at Mar-a-Lago, no officials from the Biden administration are known to have held talks with him.

Even among staunch pro-"Israel" voices, Ben Gvir’s visit proved divisive. Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler called him a “racist, terrorist, Jewish supremacist.”

The investigation into the violence is ongoing, with the NYPD working to identify additional individuals involved. Only one arrest and a few summonses have been reported so far.