Antisemite Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Numerous Jews, Including Columbia Students

Federal authorities indicted Wednesday a man accused of assaulting numerous New York City Jews, including several at Columbia University over the course of 2024 and 2025.

Tarek Bazrouk, 20, of New York City, was arrested earlier in the day, authorities said.

He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.

Police and prosecutors say that Bazrouk repeatedly attacked Jewish individuals at protests related to the Israel/Gaza war, driven by an explicitly antisemitic agenda and support for terrorist organizations. According to the FBI, one of the incidents involved Bazrouk punching a Columbia University student and stealing his Israeli flag while hurling antisemitic slurs during a December 9, 2024 attack near the campus.

“The Civil Rights Division will continue to relentlessly pursue allegations of antisemitic violence and will not stop until justice is served for the victims and their families,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under Attorney General Pam Bondi’s leadership, we will use all available resources to investigate and charge those who target and assault others because of their faith.”

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said: “As alleged, on three separate occasions, Tarek Bazrouk deliberately targeted and assaulted Jewish victims at protests relating to the Israel/Gaza war. Despite being arrested after each incident, Bazrouk allegedly remained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City. This Office is dedicated to seeking justice for victims of hate crimes and will aggressively prosecute those who spread bigotry and discrimination through violence.”

The assaults unfolded as follows:

April 15, 2024 – Lower Manhattan: At a protest outside the New York Stock Exchange, Bazrouk — wearing a green headband associated with Hamas terrorists — was arrested after lunging at a group of pro-Israel demonstrators. As NYPD officers escorted him to a vehicle, he kicked who prosecutors referred to as Victim-1, a Jewish college student, in the stomach. Victim-1 was standing near others visibly expressing their Jewish identity through kippahs, Israeli flags, and traditional songs.

December 9, 2024 – Upper Manhattan near Columbia University: Bazrouk assaulted Victim-2, a Jewish student attending Columbia University. The student and his brother, both wearing kippahs, were displaying an Israeli flag and singing Jewish songs. Bazrouk, with his mouth covered, stole the flag from the victim’s brother and fled. When the brothers followed him, Bazrouk punched Victim-2 in the face.

January 6, 2025 – East 18th Street and 1st Avenue, Manhattan: Bazrouk assaulted Victim-3, another Jewish individual, at a protest. The victim was draped in an Israeli flag and wearing a Star of David necklace. Bazrouk, with his face obscured by a keffiyeh, made physical contact, tangled the victim’s foot, and after a verbal confrontation, punched the victim in the nose.

Evidence obtained from Bazrouk’s cellphone further supported the hate crime charges. According to court filings, Bazrouk expressed open admiration for terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah and repeatedly referred to himself as a “Jew hater.” He described Jews as “worthless” and wrote in one message, “Allah get us rid of [Jews].” He also celebrated news that some of his family members were affiliated with Hamas. His device contained extensive pro-Hamas and pro-Hezbollah propaganda.

“Over the course of nine months, Tarek Bazrouk allegedly targeted and violently attacked multiple Jewish victims in a series of physical assaults, while demonstrating a pattern of supporting anti-Semitic terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “These alleged hate crimes not only violated the victims’ ability to exercise their first amendment rights, but also intimidated and sparked fear among a broader population. The FBI won’t tolerate this behavior and will apprehend any individual who commits a federal crime seeking to harm others for their religious beliefs.”

“As alleged, Tarek Bazrouk deliberately set out to harm Jewish New Yorkers — targeting them at protests, singling them out, and assaulting them for nothing more than their identity,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “The NYPD worked closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to track him down and ensure he faces real consequences. Antisemitism and all forms of bigotry have no home here in New York — period. New Yorkers of all faiths are welcome to live and worship in our city freely, and we will never stop fighting to protect that right.”

Bazrouk faces three federal hate crime charges, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by the court.

FBI head Kash Patel stated: “The recent spike in violent crime against Jewish citizens is deeply disturbing and this FBI will continue to pursue those responsible. We will have more to say soon. Well done to our FBI teams executing the mission.”