Perhaps tired of being singled out by their mayor, or perhaps just simply wanting a little fresh air, Jewish leaders brought a wrench with them to 18th Ave Park to bust open the gate and allow their children to play outside.
"This park belongs to us, chief," Heshy Tishler, a building consultant, radio host, and community leader told law enforcement outside the park on Monday. "They're going to take away a park from our boys and girls? Unacceptable."
"They have to have a warrant," Tishler insisted.
Surrounded by dozens of kids, Tishler said that he would no longer allow the city to "torture" them and that they deserved to be outside playing. That's when he and other Orthodox Jewish leaders took matters into their own hands and broke open the lock on the 18th Ave park fence.
Jews in NYC just cut the lock @NYCMayor put on their park ???? pic.twitter.com/77431im2Ge
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) June 15, 2020
The action was met with rounds of applause. Both in person and on Twitter.
While so many so-called leaders have been silent and absent, Heshy Tishler has led the charge on this issue, restoring the right of children to get the fresh air they need to be healthy!
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) June 15, 2020
It’s time for the city to get with the program.
Great job Heshy! ???? pic.twitter.com/v2kR4phaNY
Heroes!
— teena (@libertariantina) June 15, 2020
Good for Them!!
— Katherine Marcano-Bell (@LatinxFarmer) June 15, 2020
The New York Jewish community's frustration with the mayor has been building for months after he singled them out multiple times for breaking his stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus outbreak.
"You're going to close the park, because the mayor does not like Jewish communities," Tishler maintained. "It's a fact." He then led the children in heckling the mayor.
"Mr. De Blasio, we hate you right?" Tishler asked, to which they responded, "Yeah!"
GOP lawmakers commended them for taking back their parks.
Total double standard ? New York's mayor appears to be discriminating against Jewish funerals, schools, and playgrounds in enforcing his coronavirus shutdown.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 16, 2020
If Americans can protest, families should have access to their neighborhood parks. pic.twitter.com/FVtww4n9u8
Tishler said he is planning to file a motion to make sure these park closures "never happen again."
"When I stand before my holy maker," Tishler said, "I'm going to be able to say, I helped my neighbors and they helped me."
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