The Jewish residents of Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood are bracing themselves for what may turn out to be a very unpleasant Shabbat this weekend.
A large pro-Hamas ‘Flood Brooklyn for Gaza’ demonstration is scheduled to take place on Saturday at 3 pm at the Brooklyn Museum, located barely a mile down the road from Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway.
The protest is being coordinated by the same group that held a pro-Hamas rally in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood last Saturday. More than 5,000 demonstrators showed up for that rally, which eventually became violent, creating clashes with police.
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That same Shabbat, Chabad-Lubavitch is holding a gathering of “Chabad on Campus” leaders as well.
An NYPD official told COLlive.com on Wednesday evening that Jews should avoid walking in the area on Saturday, at least during the time of the demonstration.
The antisemitic hate fest is expected to expand but it is not yet clear in which direction, the police source said.
“Jews should definitely avoid the area,” police told the COLlive.com news outlet. “There’s no intel at this time in which direction the protest will head. Locals should definitely stay away from Eastern Parkway in that area.”
In addition, there is a Veteran’s Parade scheduled to march on Eastern Parkway that same morning, from Bedford Avenue to Grand Army Plaza — passing right by the Brooklyn Museum.
“Last week, there was a rally in Bay Ridge that included hateful and antisemitic rhetoric and signs,” Jewish Future Alliance head Rabbi Yaacov Behrman noted. “Despite this, the NYPD did an excellent job of protecting the neighboring communities.
“We strongly recommend that you stay vigilant and avoid that area unless absolutely necessary.
“Many people have expressed concerns regarding both safety and the potential trauma to our children,” Behrman said.
“We have been in communication with the NYPD and they have assured us that there are no intentions to march towards 770 or in this direction. They are fully committed to taking all necessary measures to prevent any such occurrence. Additionally, there will be a significant police presence in place to safeguard the community,” he added.
COLlive.com contributed to this report.
