Jewish family attacked at elementary school graduation for chanting 'Death to Israel'. [VIDEO]

A Brooklyn elementary school graduation turned violent when a Jewish couple, Lana and Johan, were attacked by an Arabic-speaking family shouting slogans like “Free Palestine!” “Gaza is ours!” and “Death to Israel!” The incident took place at PS 682 in Gravesend after the school's fifth grade graduation ceremony with the theme “All you need is love.”

“They targeted my family because we are Jewish,” said the mother, whose 10-year-old twins witnessed the attacks.

A Jewish mother and her husband were attacked and beaten at a Brooklyn elementary school graduation by an Arabic-speaking family, who taunted them with shouts of “Free… pic.twitter.com/UFBj7wb0PB

— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) June 23, 2024

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The incident unfolded when the other family became aggressive towards Lana and Johan. Johan was thrown to the ground, held down, kicked and punched. As the violence escalated, he was even hit with the sharp heel of a stiletto by a woman. The Jewish couple's 10-year-old twins witnessed the brutal assault, turning what should have been a joyous occasion into a traumatic experience.

Isn't chanting “Death to Israel” and then attacking a Jewish family a hate crime? pic.twitter.com/1foyk8VGnX

— Zach Heilman (@RedVoicePatriot) June 23, 2024

Education advocate Tova Plaut singled out the incident as one of the worst cases of anti-Semitism in New York public schools since the recent conflicts in Israel and Gaza. Plautus emphasized the dangers of tolerating such hateful views, warning that it could lead to physical violence, as seen in this case.

Despite the clear anti-Semitic nature of the attack, the NYPD did not initially classify it as a hate crime. However, after pressure from Lana and Johan, the Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident. The couple's safety and privacy is being protected by withholding their last names.

The situation escalated when a student displayed a “Free Palestine” message during graduation. Despite the objections, the Department of Education considered it an expression of freedom of speech. The altercation began when relatives of the student with the flag tried to push Lana and Johan away as they were taking photos, inciting the attack with hate chants.

The assault left Johan hospitalized with injuries, including scratches and swelling, while Lana also suffered injuries. Her 16-year-old son was punched in the face while trying to intervene. Although an arrest was made, the motive for the attack remains unclear.

Lana expressed her disappointment with the NYPD's initial response, given that her family is known as Jewish in the school community. Lana criticized the Department for Education for trying to play down the anti-Semitic nature of the attack by suggesting a provocation by both families.

“My husband was trying to de-escalate the situation … The DOE is trying to sweep it under the rug to avoid further scrutiny of this heinous anti-Semitic act.” – Wool

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