Particle.news
Download on the App Store
23 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

DOJ Opens Civil-Rights Probe Into Protest Outside Park East Synagogue

Federal civil-rights officials are examining whether protesters unlawfully obstructed access to the Upper East Side house of worship.

Mayor Adams Visits Park East Synagogue After Anti-israel Protest Sparks Outrage
Tisch told congregants it was the police department’s duty “to ensure that people could easily enter and leave shul.” (Left: John Lamparski / AFP; right: Selçuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
NYPD Commissioner Apologizes to Park East Synagogue After Turbulent Protest
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside an event held by Nefesh B'nefesh, an organization that helps American Jews immigrate to Israel, at the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan on Wednesday night. (Photo by Selçuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said a Department of Justice investigation is underway, with the Civil Rights Division coordinating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
  • Roughly 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered during a Nefesh B’Nefesh event, with videos showing hostile chants and moments when protesters pressed toward the synagogue entrance; no arrests were reported.
  • NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch apologized to congregants, acknowledging the department failed to maintain a clear buffer and did not establish a frozen zone at the door.
  • Acting First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro criticized the police response as allowing protesters too close to the entrance, and Mayor Eric Adams visited the synagogue Monday to express support for the community.
  • Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s team said he discourages the protest language and questioned the event’s propriety, a response that drew rebukes from Jewish leaders who called for stronger condemnation and protection.