New York โ Tarek Bazrouk, 20, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to one count of committing a hate crime after repeatedly assaulting Jewish counter-protesters at anti-Israel demonstrations in New York City between April 2024 and January 2025.
Bazrouk, who was indicted last month on three counts of federal hate crimes, admitted to targeting Jewish individuals at three separate protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The assaults took place at major demonstrations in Manhattan, including one outside the New York Stock Exchange and another near Columbia University.
During the hearing before Judge Richard M. Berman, Bazrouk acknowledged that he had assaulted others because of their Jewish identity. โI wish to plead guilty,โ Bazrouk told the court, later stating, โI am very sorry.โ He explained that he is Palestinian and began protesting out of outrage over Israelโs actions in Gaza, but admitted he should not have resorted to violence.
Prosecutors detailed that Bazrouk wore a green headband commonly associated with Hamas at one protest, where he kicked a Jewish college student in the stomach while the victim stood near others waving Israeli flags and singing Jewish songs. On another occasion, he punched a Jewish man wearing a kippah in the face during a demonstration near Columbia University.
Text messages recovered from Bazroukโs phone revealed antisemitic rhetoric and support for Hamas. In court documents, he described himself as a โJew haterโ and referred to Jewish people as โworthless.โ Despite being arrested after each incident, Bazrouk โremained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City,โ said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York.
The case is notable as one of the first federal hate crime prosecutions stemming from the recent wave of anti-Israel protests in New York. Bazrouk faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 1, 2025.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to combating hate crimes. โThe FBI will relentlessly pursue violent offenders who target Jewish individuals,โ said FBI Director Kash Patel. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch added, โAntisemitism and any form of hate have no place in New York, period.โ
This article is based on verified information from the U.S. Department of Justice, Fox News, New York Post, Reuters, The New York Times, The Jerusalem Post, and official statements from law enforcement agencies.