Man Gets 3-Month Sentence for Anti-Semitic Attack on Israeli Tourists

Yahya Amin, a New York resident, has been sentenced to just three months in jail for an anti-Semitic assault on an Israeli tourist in Times Square. The lenient sentence was part of a plea deal reached in March, where Amin pleaded guilty to third-degree assault as a hate crime. In addition to the jail time, Amin will be under supervised release for five years following his release.

The incident occurred on October 18, 2023, approximately ten days after the Hamas massacre of October 7. The 23-year-old Israeli victim was walking with four friends in Times Square, all wearing kippahs (skullcaps). Amin reportedly began following the group menacingly for about ten minutes, harassing them with anti-Semitic slurs and threats.

According to the indictment, Amin shouted phrases such as "Hamas needs to kill more of your people," "Allah will kill all Jews," and "All Jews must die." He also stated, "I want to kill you because of Gaza." The Israeli tourists attempted to evade him and reported the harassment to a local security guard, heading towards a subway station.

However, Amin continued to pursue them. At one point, he approached the victim from behind and punched him forcefully on the back of the head, causing minor injuries requiring medical attention. Amin attempted to flee but was pursued by the victim's friends and apprehended by a nearby police officer.

Even while handcuffed and being taken for questioning, Amin reportedly continued to express hatred, shouting, "God will kill all Jews."