Man Gets 90 Days for Hate Crime Attack on Israelis in NYC

A New York court sentenced Yahya Amin on Tuesday to 90 days in jail and five years of probation for a hate crime assault. The incident occurred on October 18, 2023, just 11 days after the Hamas attack on Israel. Amin targeted a 23-year-old Israeli man and his four friends, all wearing kippahs, near Times Square.

According to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, Amin followed the group for about ten minutes, playing "Hamas music" from a portable speaker. During the pursuit, he made antisemitic threats, including "Hamas should kill more of you," "May Allah kill all Jews," and "All Jews should die." The victims attempted to get help from a security guard and headed towards a subway station to escape.

Amin continued to follow them, shouting, "I want to kill you for Gaza," before physically assaulting one of the Israelis, striking him on the back of the neck and causing minor injuries. Amin fled the scene, but the victim and his friends pursued him until a New York Police Department officer joined the chase and apprehended him.

Even after his arrest, Amin continued to shout, "May God kill all the Jewish people." He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of third-degree assault as a hate crime as part of a plea deal. The relatively light sentence has drawn criticism, particularly given the timing and nature of the attack.