Mobs set fires in Brooklyn (tradition, elder, America, faith)

[jewscout]

Mobs set fires in Brooklyn

Angry mobs of Hasidim taunted cops and set fires in the streets of Brooklyn last night after police busted an elderly member of their community in a traffic stop.

The wild protests flared shortly after 6:30 p.m., when police pulled over 75-year-old Arthur Schick for allegedly talking on his cell phone while driving in Borough Park.

Cops said Schick - whose family founded the neighborhood institution Schick's Bakery - became belligerent and refused to hand over his license and registration, leading officers to arrest and handcuff him.

Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of the arrest - with several saying nothing untoward happened - but some said the officers were too rough on the elderly and hearing-impaired man, who was collared at 16th Ave. and 47th St.
"They literally manhandled him. They picked him up and threw him in the van," said Sariel Widawsky, co-owner of Schick's. "It was a very forceful arrest for a person who is 75 years old. It was totally uncalled for."

<snip>


Two men tried to interfere with the bust - one allegedly jumping on a cop's back - and ended up under arrest themselves. Witnesses said enraged Hasidim surrounded a nearby squad car, and cops in riot gear quickly swarmed in.

As rumors spread through the crowd that Schick had been beaten, tensions escalated and hundreds of people in traditional black garb poured onto 16th Ave. from 46th to 50th Sts. They set fire to old magazines, fruit boxes and other trash up and down the avenue.

Firefighters raced to put out at least seven blazes and water down the streets.

Demonstrators smashed the windows of one police cruiser and torched another by throwing a gasoline-soaked rag into its backseat. A helicopter searchlight swept the street, and riot police formed lines along 16th Ave., hollering, "Back on the sidewalk!"

But protesters didn't heed the warnings and ran through the streets, some yelling, "Nazi Germany!" at the officers.

"I started running, too. I was almost knocked over," said Esther Kroynik, 20, who had to scale a waist-high fence to avoid the mobs.
It took scores of cops four hours to restore order, but the arrest toll stayed at three. Two officers suffered leg injuries in the melee, a police source said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crim...p-343905c.html

[michel]

Originally Posted by jewscout

Mobs set fires in Brooklyn

Angry mobs of Hasidim taunted cops and set fires in the streets of Brooklyn last night after police busted an elderly member of their community in a traffic stop.

The wild protests flared shortly after 6:30 p.m., when police pulled over 75-year-old Arthur Schick for allegedly talking on his cell phone while driving in Borough Park.

Cops said Schick - whose family founded the neighborhood institution Schick's Bakery - became belligerent and refused to hand over his license and registration, leading officers to arrest and handcuff him.

Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of the arrest - with several saying nothing untoward happened - but some said the officers were too rough on the elderly and hearing-impaired man, who was collared at 16th Ave. and 47th St.
"They literally manhandled him. They picked him up and threw him in the van," said Sariel Widawsky, co-owner of Schick's. "It was a very forceful arrest for a person who is 75 years old. It was totally uncalled for."

<snip>


Two men tried to interfere with the bust - one allegedly jumping on a cop's back - and ended up under arrest themselves. Witnesses said enraged Hasidim surrounded a nearby squad car, and cops in riot gear quickly swarmed in.

As rumors spread through the crowd that Schick had been beaten, tensions escalated and hundreds of people in traditional black garb poured onto 16th Ave. from 46th to 50th Sts. They set fire to old magazines, fruit boxes and other trash up and down the avenue.

Firefighters raced to put out at least seven blazes and water down the streets.

Demonstrators smashed the windows of one police cruiser and torched another by throwing a gasoline-soaked rag into its backseat. A helicopter searchlight swept the street, and riot police formed lines along 16th Ave., hollering, "Back on the sidewalk!"

But protesters didn't heed the warnings and ran through the streets, some yelling, "Nazi Germany!" at the officers.

"I started running, too. I was almost knocked over," said Esther Kroynik, 20, who had to scale a waist-high fence to avoid the mobs.
It took scores of cops four hours to restore order, but the arrest toll stayed at three. Two officers suffered leg injuries in the melee, a police source said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crim...p-343905c.html

I think it is sad, but this seems relevent, from the article:-

Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of the arrest - with several saying nothing untoward happened - but some said the officers were too rough on the elderly and hearing-impaired man, who was collared at 16th Ave. and 47th St. "They literally manhandled him. They picked him up and threw him in the van," said Sariel Widawsky, co-owner of Schick's. "It was a very forceful arrest for a person who is 75 years old. It was totally uncalled for."

Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of the arrest - with several saying nothing untoward happened - but some said the officers were too rough on the elderly and hearing-impaired man, who was collared at 16th Ave. and 47th St. "They literally manhandled him. They picked him up and threw him in the van," said Sariel Widawsky, co-owner of Schick's. "It was a very forceful arrest for a person who is 75 years old. It was totally uncalled for."

Bad P.R on both sides............

[evearael]

The police shouldn't manhandle old men with hearing impairments, but it is a bit much to riot over... sue the crap out of NYPD instead.

[jewscout]

i agree
i think it got outta hand way too fast.

[Avi]

Hasidism are prone to rioting if something ****** them off, haha.

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by evearael

The police shouldn't manhandle old men with hearing impairments, ...

Rubbish. It looks as if they did what was necessary, and only what was necessary, to effect the arrest of a belligerant old man.

[NoahideHiker]

It is sad that things went the way they did. There is blame to be laid on both sides.