Brooklyn woman charged with hate crimes in anti-Semitic Hanukkah attacks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Brooklyn woman was charged in connection with three separate anti-Semitic attacks against Orthodox Jewish women who were walking in their neighborhoods during Hanukkah, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Monday in federal court.
The suspect, Tiffany Harris, allegedly approached each of the victims and slapped them with an open hand, according to the criminal complaint.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The defendant attacked three women solely because they were Jewish, striking not only at the innocent victims but also at our country’s founding principles of tolerance and respect for civil rights,” United States Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement.
At around 12:40 a.m. on Dec. 27, Harris allegedly walked up to a woman who was walking alone and randomly slapped her in the face, the complaint said.
Five minutes later, Harris approached another woman who was walking with a group of people, "two of whom were visibly Orthodox Jewish," and slapped the victim in the back of the head while saying "F--k the Jews."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Minutes later, she again did the same thing -- slapping her in the face -- to a third woman who was walking alongside another visibly Orthodox woman.
The three victims were able to identify Harris when police arrested her shortly after.
“The use of violence, or the threats of violence, against anyone based on the victim’s religion will not be tolerated, and those who engage in such conduct will learn that under federal law there are serious consequences for hate crimes,” Donoghue said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harris, 30, is facing up to 10 years in prison for the assaults.
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"The lesson to others thinking of behaving as we allege Ms. Harris did—knock it off now or we are going to lock you up," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney Jr. said in a statement. "The anti-Semitic attacks in this city and elsewhere have been outrageous, and the FBI will use the full extent of the laws at our disposal to protect the community.”