New York Man Sentenced to 17 Months for Hate-Based Assaults on Jewish Victims

A New York man has been sentenced to federal prison for a series of hate-driven assaults targeting Jewish victims during public protests tied to the Israel–Hamas conflict.

Tarek Bazrouk, 20, of New York City, will serve 17 months in federal prison after repeatedly attacking Jewish individuals in separate incidents throughout 2024 and 2025. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman following a federal investigation by the FBI New York Field Office and the NYPD.

Authorities say Bazrouk’s assaults were not random acts of protest violence — they were deliberate hate crimes motivated by anti-Semitic extremism and open support for designated terrorist groups.

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A Pattern of Hate and Violence

According to federal prosecutors, Bazrouk carried out three separate assaults across Manhattan in less than a year, each directed at visibly Jewish victims participating in pro-Israel demonstrations.

In April 2024, while wearing a green Hamas-style headband, Bazrouk lunged at a group of Jewish college students outside the New York Stock Exchange. As NYPD officers intervened, he kicked one of the students — who was wearing a kippah — in the stomach.

Eight months later, in December 2024, he attacked another Jewish student near Columbia University after stealing an Israeli flag from the victim’s brother. The student was struck in the face moments later as the suspect fled through a crowd.

Then, in January 2025, Bazrouk assaulted a third Jewish victim near 1st Avenue and East 18th Street, punching the man in the nose after making contact and tripping him.

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Evidence of Extremist Motivation

Search warrants later executed on Bazrouk’s cellphones revealed messages glorifying Hamas and Hezbollah, alongside a pattern of explicit anti-Jewish rhetoric. In multiple exchanges, he referred to himself as a “Jew hater,” praised relatives for supporting Hamas, and posted violent imagery tied to anti-Israel propaganda.

Prosecutors described the findings as “undeniable evidence of intent” — showing that Bazrouk’s actions were not spontaneous but ideologically motivated.

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Federal Authorities Condemn the Attacks

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton emphasized the gravity of the case:

“He targeted New Yorkers because of their faith and identity — and he did so repeatedly, even after arrests. This sentence makes clear that hate-based violence will not be tolerated.”

FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia echoed that sentiment, calling the assaults “a direct attack on the freedom to exist and worship without fear.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch added that every act of antisemitic violence “strikes at the heart of what this city stands for,” reaffirming that New York’s law enforcement agencies will continue to hold hate-motivated offenders fully accountable.

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A Step Toward Accountability

In addition to his 17-month prison sentence, Bazrouk will serve three years of supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit, with assistance from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the NYPD.

The Justice Department emphasized that such prosecutions are critical to protecting communities of faith amid a rise in antisemitic threats and violence nationwide.

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