NYPD hunts for anti-Israel protester who told ‘Zionists’ to ID themselves on subway
The NYPD is hunting for the anti-Israel protester who took over a New York subway car and demanded “Zionists” raise their hands — then said, “this is your chance to get out.”
A wanted poster released Wednesday asks New Yorkers for help identifying the man so police can arrest him on a coercion charge.
Law enforcement sources told The Post that cops are considering elevating the coercion charge to a hate crime, which is allowed under state law.
“The subject chanted ‘Raise your hands if you’re a Zionist,” the poster states, “Repeat after me, this is your chance to get out!”
A photo showing the protester was also tweeted by NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper, who wrote detectives are looking for the man.
Sources added that cops are working to definitively ID the man and chasing down potential leads while asking the public to weigh in.
The incident unfolded the same night a mob of anti-Israel protesters ghoulishly swarmed a downtown Manhattan exhibit memorializing the victims of the Nova music festival who were slaughtered and kidnapped on Oct. 7.
Protesters also rallied in Union Square Park that evening and held up a banner that read “Long live October 7.” One hateful hooligan at that event yelled that he wished “Hitler was still here” to “wipe out” the Jews.
After the rash of antisemitic incidents across the city, Jewish leaders told The Post that New York should bring back a ban on protesters wearing masks. Gov. Kathy Hochul is reportedly considering reinstating the law, which was repealed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The wanted poster for the anti-Israel chant-leader came as welcome news to Josh Savitt, a Jewish New Yorker who faced antisemitic harassment on a different subway train that same day.
Savitt, who was threatened by a masked protester clad in a Hezbollah t-shirt, said it’s important to hold people who intimidate and harass others accountable.
“The whole idea is it’s a shared space for everybody, whether you’re supportive of Israel or the people of Gaza, both, neither,” he said.
“Everyone has to ride the subway home at the end of the day, and they deserve to do so safely and not be harassed.”
Savitt didn’t file a complaint with the NYPD after his run-in, but said he’s leaving that door open. He’s consulting with anti-hate groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League, on his potential next steps.