April 2025 Brooklyn clashes

{{Main|2025 pro-Israel mob attack in Brooklyn}}

On the evening of 24 April, pro-Palestinian demonstrators organized by Within Our Lifetime (WOL) first assembled outside the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood to protest Ben-Gvir's planned visit to the site.{{Cite web |last=Keene |first=Louis |date=2025-04-27 |title=Protesters clash in Crown Heights as Ben-Gvir visits Chabad headquarters |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/715531/chabad-ben-gvir-crown-heights-protests/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=The Forward |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Marcius |first=Chelsia Rose |last2=Piccoli |first2=Sean |date=2025-04-27 |title=NYPD Investigating Pro-Israel Crowd’s Attack on Woman in Brooklyn |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/nyregion/protests-ben-gvir-israel-brooklyn-synagogue.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Ben-Gvir, who had been visiting the United States, was only invited to the area by community members and not formally by the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters.{{Cite web |last=Offenhartz |first=Jake |date=2025-04-25 |title=US visit by far-right Israeli minister draws tense protests and 'big fissures' in Jewish community |url=https://apnews.com/article/itamar-bengvir-israel-palestinian-chabad-cfd4f1644ea845702f1a1dacdfd68ba7 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=AP News |language=en}}

Hundreds of pro-Israeli counterprotestors– many of them Hasidic Orthodox Jewish men– also gathered at the scene, and violent clashes broke out between the two sides. Hasidic counterprotestors were seen shoving a protestor from Neturei Karta to the ground and kicking him. Another demonstrator wearing a keffiyeh was also seen bloodied. According to Chabad-Lubavitch spokesman Rabbi Motti Seligson, the pro-Palestinian protestors were also violent and were using pepper spray.

Inside the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters' main synagogue, Ben-Gvir led prayer, participated in a celebration of Torah study, gave a speech, and led attendees in a chant about the coming of the Messiah.

At one point, an uninvolved woman who had been watching the protests was confronted and harassed by the crowd of pro-Israeli demonstrators, who began shouting profanities, threatened to rape her, hurled objects at her, and chanted "Death to Arabs", until the New York City Police Department (NYPD) escorted her to safety.{{Cite news |date=2025-04-28 |title=Mob of Orthodox Jewish men chases woman after protest at Brooklyn synagogue |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/28/mob-orthodox-jewish-men-chases-woman |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last1=Carlin |first1=Dave |last2=DeAngelis |first2=Jenna |date=2025-04-28 |title=Video shows group attacking woman outside Brooklyn synagogue, NYPD investigating |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/video-shows-group-attacking-woman-outside-brooklyn-synagogue/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=CBS New York |language=en-US}}

In total, six people were arrested.

Pro-Palestinian protestors assembled in Gravesend, Brooklyn, in front of two synagogues, one of which was preparing to host Ben-Gvir. However, his planned speech for that morning was canceled. Pro-Israeli counterprotestors also arrived at the area. By early afternoon the pro-Palestinian protestors had left, and again, six people in total were arrested. Local pro-Israeli publication The Jewish Voice shared footage of scuffles between protestors and the NYPD in the neighborhood.{{Cite web |last=Sidman |first=Fern |date=2025-04-28 |title=Pro-Hamas Protesters Target Brooklyn’s Shaarei Zion Synagogue Amid Ben Gvir's U.S. Visit |url=https://tjvnews.com/2025/04/pro-hamas-protesters-target-brooklyns-shaarei-zion-synagogue-amid-ben-gvirs-u-s-visit/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=The Jewish Voice |language=en-US}}

In anticipation of renewed protests in Crown Heights, the administration of the Tomchei Tminim at the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters released a letter to yeshiva students instructing them to refrain from counterprotesting and to remain focused on their studies.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-28 |title=770 Yeshiva to Bochurim: Stay Away From the Conflict |url=https://collive.com/770-yeshiva-to-bochurim-stay-away-from-the-conflict/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}}

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators organized a rally outside Barclays Center that night, chiefly in response to the 24 April attack on the uninvolved woman, and subsequently marched towards the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters. However, the NYPD prevented them from entering Crown Heights. One protestor was arrested.{{Cite news |last=Stack |first=Liam |last2=Marcius |first2=Chelsia Rose |date=2025-04-28 |title=After Pro-Israel Crowd Assaults Woman, Protesters Rally in Brooklyn |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/nyregion/protests-israel-woman-attacked-brooklyn.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

New York City mayor Eric Adams condemned the violence in a statement posted on X/Twitter, and said the NYPD was investigating "a series of incidents" from the clashes.

Rabbi Motti Seligson said the Chabad-Lubavitch organization condemned the behavior of the group that attacked the uninvolved woman on 24 April, and stated that “such actions are entirely unacceptable and wholly antithetical to the Torah’s values”. However, he also denounced the pro-Palestinian protestors and referred to them as antisemites and supporters of terrorism against Jews.

• 2025 pro-Israel mob attack in Brooklyn

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Category:2025 in New York City

Category:April 2025 crimes in the United States

Category:2025 protests

Category:Jews and Judaism in Brooklyn

Category:Gaza war protests in the United States