Last month a man named Tarek Bazrouk was charged with federal hate crimes after he was involved in 3 separate attacks on Jewish protesters in New York. A press release from the DOJ described the details of all three attacks.
According to court documents, other public filings, and statements previously made on the record in this case, over the course of approximately nine months, Bazrouk physically assaulted three Jewish individuals at protests concerning the Israel/Gaza war. First, on April 15, 2024, Bazrouk — while wearing a green headband typically worn by Hamas terrorists — attended a protest concerning the Israel/Gaza war in Lower Manhattan, outside the New York Stock Exchange. During the protest, Bazrouk was arrested by officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) after lunging at a group of pro-Israel protestors. As Bazrouk was being escorted to an NYPD vehicle, Bazrouk kicked a different individual — Victim-1, a Jewish college student — in the stomach. At the time of the assault, Victim-1 was standing near other Jewish protestors, who were wearing kippahs (that is, brimless skullcaps traditionally worn by Jewish men), carrying Israeli flags, and singing Jewish songs.
Approximately eight months later, on Dec. 9, 2024, Bazrouk assaulted another individual at a protest relating to the Israel/Gaza war next to a university campus in upper Manhattan. The victim of the second assault — Victim-2 — is a Jewish student who attended the nearby university. On the date of the assault, Victim-2 and his brother were wearing kippahs, Victim-2 had an Israeli flag draped around his shoulders, and Victim-2 was singing Jewish songs. As the protest continued, Bazrouk — with his mouth covered — stole an Israeli flag from Victim-2’s brother and fled. After Victim-2 and his brother followed Bazrouk through a crowd to retrieve the flag, Bazrouk snuck up beside Victim-2 and struck him in the face with a closed fist.
Images of Bazrouk from the December attack near Columbia have been circulating online:
🔎 HELP US IDENTIFY THIS PERSON
— Activist Tracker (@Activist_Trackr) December 10, 2024
At an unauthorized rally at @Columbia , the subject in question assaulted a Jewish student, punching him in the face, stole a flag and shouted antisemitic slogans.
📷 Help us identify them.
DM us with any info you have! pic.twitter.com/mvjc3rZim7
And here's a description of the third attack just a month later.
Roughly one month later, on Jan. 6, 2025, Bazrouk assaulted a third Jewish victim — Victim-3 — at a protest concerning the Israel/Gaza war near 1st Avenue and East 18th Street in Manhattan. At this protest, Victim-3 was wearing an Israeli flag around his shoulders, a hat with an Israeli flag, and a chain with a Jewish star. During the protest, Bazrouk, who was wearing a keffiyeh on his face, made contact with Victim-3’s shoulder and wrapped his foot around Victim-3’s ankle. Victim-3 attempted to push BAZROUK away and cursed at him. Bazrouk then punched Victim-3 in the nose with a closed fist.
After he was arrested, police searched his cell phone and found clear indications about his motives. As you might have guessed, he hates Jews and loves Hamas.
...law enforcement subsequently searched a cellphone used by Bazrouk. Evidence from that device revealed Bazrouk’s anti-Semitic bias and his support for anti-Jewish terrorist groups including Hamas, demonstrating his motivation for repeatedly assaulting Jewish victims. In text messages, for example, Bazrouk identified himself as a “Jew hater,” labeled Jews as “worthless,” extorted “Allah” to “get us rid of [Jews],” called an acquittance a “Fucking Jew,” and told a friend to “slap that bitch” in reference to a woman with an Israeli sticker on her laptop. Bazrouk also told a friend that he was “mad happy” to have learned that certain of his family members overseas are part of Hamas. Bazrouk’s phone was also littered with pro-Hamas and pro-Hizballah propaganda, showing his support for organizations that have murdered thousands of Jews and Israelis.
Today the NY Post has an exclusive report about something else found on Bazrouk's phone. He was part of a chat group getting updates directly from Hamas.
A “Jew-hater” who protested against Israel on Columbia University’s campus and contemplated setting a student on fire allegedly had a direct link to Hamas’ deadly al-Qassam Brigades militant group, The Post can reveal.
Tarek Bazrouk — awaiting trial after being indicted on three federal hate crimes against Jewish people — was “a member of a chat group that received regular updates from Abu Obeida,” the official spokesperson for the brigades, according to allegations in federal documents.
The accusation is the first evidence of an agitator receiving information directly from Hamas and taking action during protests on the university campus.
Bazrouk, 20, who was not a Columbia student, also frequently wore the green headband used by Hamas terrorists and boasted to friends about having relatives overseas who were part of the terror group, prosecutors claim in a letter filed with the court.
He wasn't a student, but as I've pointed out before, there are Columbia students who were also passing out Hamas literature and openly supporting Hamas and violence against Israel. These aren't peace activists, they are supporters of the 10/7 attack.
Barzouk is facing up to 10 years in prison for each hate crime charge. He won't get that of course but if convicted he's probably going to spend a few years behind bars.
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