Bill de Blasio sharply criticized a protest organized by the Jewish community, as the city remains the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic in the United States.
Controversy around a gathering of Orthodox Jews in the midst of a pandemic in New York: the mayor repeated on Wednesday that this type of event would be severely punished, and defended himself from any discrimination after denouncing an “unacceptable” demonstration by the Jewish community in the time of the coronavirus. According to Democrat Bill de Blasio and New York police chief Dermot Shea, “thousands” of Orthodox Jews flocked to a main avenue in the Williamsburg neighborhood on Tuesday to pay tribute to a famous rabbi who died in coronavirus. These posthumous gatherings are part of the tradition of the Hasidic community.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday evening, Bill de Blasio strongly criticized the demonstration, even going there with the police to ensure its dispersion. “Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonight (…) a large gathering in the midst of a pandemic,” the mayor wrote. Above all, he threatened with sanctions “the Jewish community” – some 1.1 million strong in New York, one of the largest Jewish communities in the world – and “all communities” who violate assembly bans .
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This emphasis on “the Jewish community,” against the backdrop of recent escalation of anti-Semitic acts in New York and the United States, has earned him fierce criticism. In particular, the Orthodox Jewish Council for Public Affairs (OJPAC) argued that further violations of the distancing rules appeared tolerated, citing the example of groups of New Yorkers who followed Navy and Navy squadrons on Tuesday. air force came to fly over the city in tribute to the caregivers. “All New Yorkers must practice social distancing, which makes the mayor’s action so bizarre on a day when it was not respected anywhere,” the organization said.
Criticism from Republicans
Politicians have also stepped up to the plate, such as Republican Senator Ted Cruz. “Did Mayor De Blasio send an identical tweet, with the word ‘Jew’ replaced by another religious minority?” he launched on Twitter. “Laws must be enforced, without targeting a religion.”
Asked about these criticisms during a press briefing, Bill de Blasio said he spoke “with passion, emotion” as he was shocked by this gathering. He said he was “sorry” if he hurt some and said he had a lot of “love” for the Jewish community. But he added that he had “no regrets for pointing out the danger” and for having warned that he would be “very severe” on this issue.
When asked about claims by community officials that the rally was authorized by police, Dermot Shea remained vague, but he too warned that his men would not “tolerate” large gatherings.
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