Connect with us

RSS

NYPD Shuts Down Anti-Israel Protests Outside Chabad Headquarters During Torah Ceremony

A protest targeting the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Photo: Shomrim

Dozens of anti-Israel demonstrators appeared across the street of the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York city on Sunday during a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, a prominent leader of the global Hasidic movement within Orthodox Judaism.

Showing up at 770 Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, the approximately 30 anti-Israel activists waved a Palestinian flag and a black-and-white Puerto Rican flag, indicative of alignment with the Black Lives Matter movement. One black-and-red sign at the protest read, “Having said that Floyd was killed by IDF-trained cops meanwhile ‘Israel’ commits genocide and racial apartheid,” seemingly trying to draw a connection between Israel and the 2020 death of George Floyd while being arrested by police officers in Minneapolis.

At Sunday’s protest, a brown, cardboard sign featured the names of those killed in police shootings including George Floyd, Jordan Neely, Eric Duprey, and Michael Rosado.

According to Yaacov Behrman, a public relations spokesman for Chabad, “Known agitator and antisemite Terrell ‘Relly Rebel’” was present at the protest. “He is being mostly ignored by the community, which is gathered across the street at a synagogue to celebrate the arrival of a new Torah,” Behrman added.

A masked protester held a sign with a black American flag and the phrase “Israel’s bitch” with “Israel” in quote marks to imply the Jewish state’s illegitimacy. Many others present obscured their identities with keffiyehs, hats, sunglasses, and face masks. One sign held by a woman in a black mask proclaimed, “King Leopold Killed 10-15M in Congo but it’s Genocide When It Happens to White People,” an apparent racialized diminishment of the Holocaust.

One photo from the event shows a man wearing a red-and-white head covering and large gray hoodie holding a cardboard sign saying in blue and red letters that “George Floyd Should Be Alive” and “Let Black Men Grow Old.”

Jewish security service Shomrim described the confrontation at the Siyum Sefer Torah ceremony in a post on X.

“A known antisemitic agitator, accompanied by approximately 30 cohorts, staged a brief demonstration across the street from 770,” Shomrim explained. “They remained for about 30 minutes and were largely ignored by the community. Our commanding officer, Captain Perez and his NYPD [New York City Police Department] 71st precinct and the NYPD 77th precinct team, alongside NYPD Brooklyn South, responded swiftly and professionally, doing an outstanding job of escorting them out of Crown Heights and ensuring the safety and security of the neighborhood.”

Police officers soon arrived and formed a line between the demonstrators and the synagogue. Another image of the scene captured seven NYPD vehicles parked in response.

Behrman praised Shomrim “for their strong response” and “the Community Affairs team at City Hall for staying in constant contact.”

“On one side of the street, there was a beautiful Hachnosas Sefer Torah in memory of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, marking one year since his passing,” he added. “On the other side, a small group of antisemites tried to cause trouble — but were completely ignored. Shomrim did an outstanding job managing both sides of the street.”

At the “Rellyrebel” instagram account, an individual identifying as Terrell Harper describes himself as the founder of We the People, a group which says it seeks “building & organizing together through our mutual aid efforts. We take care of us! Centering ALL Black lives! FOR the people-BY the people.”

Harper also writes in his bio that “we pig hunting” with a pig and red X emojis. The user photo features a man with long dreads, a red and white head covering, and a cardboard sign reading “Zionism Out of Brooklyn.”

On April 27, We the People’s Instagram posted an appeal on behalf of Harper requesting “outreach and trial support needed.” The group described “Relly Rebel” as “a dedicated and passionate community organizer and activist who has been protesting and doing mutual aid in NYC since 2020. Since he began this work, the NYPD have put a target on his back, intensifying their tactics against him each year. They sent the US Marshals to his house on a protest warrant, they sent him to Rikers, and now, they are taking him to trial on false charges.”

On Friday, Harper left a Brooklyn court with charges of breaking into a police officer’s house dropped by prosecutors following a review of video footage.

“This vile, cop-hating defendant routinely brags online about harassing police officers. He has made it his mission to prevent us from doing our job to protect the public, and the justice system is helping him do just that. When we say that the system doesn’t have our backs, this is what we’re talking about,” Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said in response.

Following Harper’s case dismissal, his Instagram posted, “We aren’t done yet, Relly still has one more case in Manhattan that he needs our support for! The next court date for Manhattan is June 9th 2025, 100 centre st, 9:00am, Part C. Flyer coming. That case is on for trial and we need numbers to show the NYPD we still and always will have Relly’s back. Zionists are also threatening to come out to court so be early and pack the court with our support [sic].”

Sunday’s demonstration came less than a month after anti-Israel activists attempted to swarm the Crown Heights neighborhood to protest “Zionism,” heightening safety concerns among the New York City borough’s Orthodox Jewish community.

Scores of pro-Palestinian agitators sought to descend upon the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Crown Heights, confronting visibly Jewish individuals, shouting obscenities, and throwing punches at counter-protesters. However, the NYPD deployed officers to prevent the anti-Zionist activists from wreaking havoc.

The post NYPD Shuts Down Anti-Israel Protests Outside Chabad Headquarters During Torah Ceremony first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

French Official Tells Paper Arab Countries Will Condemn Hamas, Trying to Get Palestinian Statehood Recognized

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman

Arab countries will for the first time condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament early next week at a United Nations ministerial event in New York, a move meant to lure more European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, France’s foreign minister said on Saturday.

In an exclusive interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said the move was part of a long-planned initiative between France and Saudi Arabia.

“For the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament, which will seal its definitive isolation. European countries will in turn confirm their intention to recognize the State of Palestine. Half of European countries have done so, all others are considering it,” Barrot told the JDD.

“The British Prime Minister has stated his intention to do so. Germany is considering it at a later stage. We will launch an appeal in New York for other countries to join us in order to set in motion an even more ambitious and demanding process that will culminate on September 21,” Barrot added.

On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly on September 21, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and Israel.

Earlier on Saturday Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni called it counterproductive to recognize a Palestinian state before it is established.

On Friday a German government spokesperson said there were no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.

At the upcoming United Nations event on Monday and Tuesday, France and Saudi Arabia plan to lay out a proposed post-war roadmap leading to a two-state solution covering security, reconstruction and governance, which will be compatible with the Abraham Accords negotiated by US President Trump, Barrot said.

The French minister added that in coming weeks the European Commission would take a tougher stance on Israel and demand a stop on building of any new settlement projects in the West Bank, and also an end to militarized policing of humanitarian aid distribution.

Barrot also called on fellow European countries to demand a removal of the financial blockade on the Palestinian authority so it can receive 2 billion euros he said it is owed.

The post French Official Tells Paper Arab Countries Will Condemn Hamas, Trying to Get Palestinian Statehood Recognized first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

Jordan and UAE Drop Aid Into Gaza in First Airdrop in Months, Jordanian Source Says

An airplane drops humanitarian aid over Gaza as seen from northern Gaza Strip July 27, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Jordan and the United Arab Emirates parachuted 25 tons of aid into the Gaza Strip on Sunday in their first airdrop in months, a Jordanian official source said.

The official said the air drops were not a substitute for delivery by land.

The post Jordan and UAE Drop Aid Into Gaza in First Airdrop in Months, Jordanian Source Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

Trump Says Israel Will Have to Decide on Next Steps in Gaza, Pledges More Aid

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 8, 2025. Photo: Kevin Lamarque via Reuters Connect.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the Hamas terrorist group.

Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue, and said the US would provide more aid to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.

“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland.

“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas members were stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, saying it had become clear that the Palestinian group did not want a deal.

Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home from Gaza and ending Hamas rule in the enclave.

Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down,” telling reporters: “Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die. And it’s very bad. And it got to be to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job.”

US TO PROVIDE MORE AID, TRUMP SAYS

Trump on Sunday said the US would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, where concerns are mounting about the worsening hunger, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.

“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,” he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well.”

He said he had spoken with Netanyahu and discussed a number of issues, including Iran. He said and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would also discuss Israel when they meet at Trump’s golf property in Turnberry on Monday.

Trump also noted said the United States was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.

“No other country gave anything,” he said, calling out European countries in particular. “It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”

The post Trump Says Israel Will Have to Decide on Next Steps in Gaza, Pledges More Aid first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News