Tikvah
Editors’ Pick

April 30, 2020

New York City’s Mayor Publicly Attacks “the Jewish Community” for Not Adhering to Social-Distancing Regulations

After ignoring violence against Jews, Bill de Blasio blames them for his own public-health failings.

On Tuesday, the funeral of a ḥasidic rabbi in Brooklyn attracted a large crowd and, despite the efforts of its organizers—in coordination with municipal authorities—the police eventually dispersed the crowd. The same evening, New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio made the following announcement over Twitter, “My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the [New York Police Department] to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.”

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