NYPD investigating attack on Jewish Columbia student as hate crime

Vita Fellig

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A photo that the NYPD released of a suspect in an attack on a Jewish Columbia University student on Dec. 9, 2024. The department is investigating the attack as a hate crime. Credit: NYPD.

The New York City Police Department told JNS that it is investigating an attack on a Jewish Columbia University student as a potential hate crime.

A 22-year-old man made antisemitic comments at and snatched an Israeli flag from the victim at about 3:30 p.m. on Monday in front of 41 Claremont Avenue, near the Columbia University and Barnard College campuses, the NYPD told JNS.

“When the victim attempted to retrieve the flag, the individual punched the victim in the face and fled the location on foot, traveling northbound on Claremont Avenue,” per the police. “There were no injuries reported.”

The NYPD told JNS that its hate crime task force is investigating the incident and that it seeks public assistance in identifying the assailant.

Jonathan Lederer, a junior studying computer science at Columbia who was told earlier in the year on campus to “go back to Poland,” told JNS that he was holding an Israeli flag when an anti-Israel protester attacked him near Columbia’s campus on Monday afternoon.

“This man came up to me screaming ‘you’re a Nazi’ and then ripped the Israeli flag from my hands,” he told JNS. “I ran after him to ask for my flag back and he punched me in the face.”

Lederer was careful not to instigate the protesters, he told JNS.

“I knew there was a pro-Palestinian demonstration planned, so I went with my brother to document what was happening and show our voice,” he said. “We weren’t yelling and we were intentionally staying away from the crowd.”

Columbia University told JNS that the assailant was not a student at the private Ivy League school.

“We have been alerted that a Columbia student, who was carrying an Israeli flag, was punched yesterday at a demonstration that took place off campus,” the university told JNS. “Initial reports indicate that the assailant was not affiliated with Columbia University. We are working closely with the NYPD to investigate this incident and to do all we can to support their efforts to ensure our neighborhood is safe for our students.”

Columbia University student Jonathan Lederer (right) holds an Israeli flag on the campus of the private Ivy League school in Manhattan. Credit: Courtesy.

Lederer told JNS that the university is not doing enough to protect Jewish students on campus.

“The pro-Palestinian protest on Monday was organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student group that purposely invites outside organizations like Within Our Lifetime to join them—an extremist Palestinian activist group which often gets violent,” he said. 

Columbia ought to “refuse to recognize these student groups and refuse to give them access to student resources, because they are aligning with organizations which are promoting violence on campus,” Lederer said.

He told JNS that “it is very clear that the university knows this, because when there is a protest scheduled, they close the university gates.” Columbia “should be more transparent in condemning these student groups,” he added.

Ari Shrage, the head of Columbia’s Jewish Alumni Association, told JNS that he hopes the investigation will encourage the university to do more. 

“The NYPD is now calling for the assault to be investigated because of the Columbia administration’s inaction,” he said. “There are simple steps that they can take, but they would rather make hollow statements and hope the problem goes away.”

“We are lucky that the student’s injuries weren’t worse, but we might not be as lucky next time,” Shrage told JNS. “Columbia’s board and administrators need to make changes immediately to prevent a similar assault in the future.”

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