Watchdog group Stop Antisemitism on Tuesday condemned the “inadequate” sentence of Suleiman Othman, who received a two-month sentence for violent antisemitism. Attack on Blake Zavadsky In 2021 in Brooklyn.
The group said, “Stop Antisemitism is extremely upset that repeatedly violent antisemit Suleiman Othman was sentenced to only two months in prison in 2021 for his unprovoked attack on Blake Zavadsky.” “Othman, who was released on $1,000 bail instead of the recommended $35,000, had previously rejected a plea deal that would have seen him serve six months.”
StopAntisemitism continued: “The punishment of slapping the wrist only serves to make New York City’s Jews less safe than those who harm them. The city needs principled leaders in the criminal justice system who will hold antisemites accountable rather than assigning Will settle them. Sweetheart deals.”
Staten Islander Othman, violently attacked ZavadskyA Jewish man wearing an IDF sweatshirt in Brooklyn in December 2021.
In November 2022 alone, anti-Semitic hate crimes in five New York City boroughs more than doubled from the year before, New York Police Department data showed, The result was an increase of 125%.
New Yorkers rally against Jewish hate crimes
Back in January, New York Jewish leaders gathered outside the Brooklyn Criminal Courthouse while Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s trial of Othman took place inside the courthouse. Othman rejected the plea deal offered to him at the time.
Rally goers called for action for the Jewish community, which has been the target of an increasing number of hate crimes. He also condemned the plea deal offered by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to an adversary who participated in a gang attack on a Jewish man near Times Square in May 2021.
Haley Cohen contributed to this report.