New York police (NYPD) are investigating two recent incidents in Williamsburg, Brooklyn as possible hate crimes after two men, both over 60-years-old, were sprayed with a fire extinguisher and assaulted.
In one incident, the 66-year-old man wished to remain anonymous, but was approached and sprayed with a fire extinguisher before he says he was punched and left bloody, ABC 7 NY reported.
The victim believes he was targeted because he is Jewish and said he is now hesitant to go out into the street.
"I thought with this I am finished. And then he gave me a punch," he said.
On Sunday, in another incident, police responded nearby to a call where a 72-year-old Jewish man was approached and doused with powder from a fire extinguisher.
Police said no words were exchanged between the two before the attack, which was captured on video released by NYPD.
The New York Times reported a record 416 antisemitic incidents recorded across New York State last year, which was a surge of 24 percent.
51 of the reports of antisemitism were assaults. That's the most physical attacks ever recorded in the state since the Anti-Defamation League began compiling the data in 1979.
