New York City, NY – May 8, 2025
Tarek Bazrouk, a 20-year-old New York City resident, was charged with three counts of federal hate crimes for allegedly assaulting Jewish individuals, including two Columbia University students, during protests related to the Israel-Gaza conflict between April 2024 and January 2025. The indictment, unsealed on May 7, 2025, in the Southern District of New York, was announced by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), with U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch condemning the acts as antisemitic violence.
According to court documents, Bazrouk targeted Jewish victims at three Manhattan protests: on April 15, 2024, outside the New York Stock Exchange; on December 2024, near Columbia University; and on January 2025, near Gramercy Park. He allegedly punched two victims in the face and kicked another in the stomach, motivated by their perceived religion or national origin. Evidence from Bazrouk’s phone revealed explicit antisemitic sentiments, including texts where he called himself a “Jew hater,” labeled Jews “worthless,” and expressed support for Hamas and Hezbollah, organizations responsible for thousands of deaths. A search of his home uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars, an airsoft gun, and real bullets, raising concerns about his intent, as noted by X user @melissaeweiss.
Bazrouk was arrested on May 7 and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron, with the case assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. Each hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Despite prior arrests after each incident, Bazrouk continued his assaults, prompting Clayton to emphasize the DOJ’s commitment to prosecuting hate-driven violence. “These alleged hate crimes intimidated a broader population and violated First Amendment rights,” Raia stated, while Tisch underscored New York’s zero-tolerance stance on antisemitism.
The case marks a rare federal prosecution tied to Columbia University protests, as noted by The Times of Israel, reflecting a broader DOJ effort to combat rising antisemitic incidents, with 2024 seeing a spike in such crimes nationwide. Public reactions on X, including posts from @IsraelWarRoom and @sfmcguire79, highlight outrage and calls for accountability, though Bazrouk’s federal defender argued his actions stemmed from emotional distress over global issues, securing his release on a $150,000 bond, per @innercitypress.
Sources: justice.gov, timesofisrael.com, X posts (@innercitypress, @IsraelWarRoom, @sfmcguire79, @melissaeweiss)