A 36-year-old California man has been charged with a hate crime and harassment by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after allegedly threatening a Jewish man on the New York City subway. The incident occurred on the night of large protests outside a Manhattan exhibition commemorating the victims of Hamas’ attack on an Israeli music festival on October 7 last year.
According to the DA’s office, Christopher Husary was on an NYC subway train on June 10 when he vandalized a train car door with an antisemitic symbol. The victim, who was wearing a Jewish yarmulke, took a picture of the graffiti — a red inverted triangle — before Husary allegedly demanded that he delete the photo, made antisemitic remarks, and threatened the victim.
The red inverted triangle used by Husary has been associated with the military wing of Hamas in the recent Gaza conflict to mark Israeli military targets. The United States has witnessed a surge in antisemitic incidents since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, with a 140% increase in incidents reported from 2022 to 2023, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Recent data from the ADL shows a significant rise in antisemitic incidents post-October 7. The NYPD reported 496 hate crime incidents in New York City during the first nine months of 2024, with 276 involving Jewish targets.
The victim reported the incident to the police nearly two weeks later, on June 22. Husary was arrested in Northern California after being sentenced to jail time and probation for a previous hate crime-related charge. He is set to begin serving his sentence on January 2.
Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton emphasized that while everyone has the right to express their beliefs under the First Amendment, threats, intimidation, and property damage are not protected by free speech.
