A Hasidic teenager walking in Brooklyn was punched in the head in an unprovoked attack from a stranger on a bicycle, police said Tuesday.
The 18-year-old victim was wearing traditional Orthodox clothing and NYPD are investigating the attack as a possible antisemitic hate crime.
StopAntisemitism, a watchdog that monitors and exposes hatred against the Jewish people, tweeted the rise in assaults against the Jewish people was “alarming”.
Alert - NYPD are searching for this suspect after he brutally punched an Orthodox teen in the back of the head in Brooklyn this past Saturday.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 26, 2022
The blow knocked the victim’s religious hat and yarmulke to the ground.
The ongoing assault on identifiable Jews in NYC is alarming. pic.twitter.com/4jO61x7jRS
The youth was walking near Penn St. and Lee Ave. in Williamsburg when the assailant rode up on a bicycle and punched him in the back of the head without warning around 1:35 a.m. Saturday, according to police.
The blow knocked the victim’s religious hat and yarmulke to the ground, but he did not need medical attention.
The attacker pedaled off and has not been caught.
Cops released surveillance footage of the suspect Tuesday and are asking the public’s help identifying him and tracking him down.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will kept confidential.