Once again, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is in hot water for remarks he made directly aimed at the Jewish people of the city. Late on Monday evening, de Blasio recounted an instance in an unnamed part of the city in which the police shut down a Jewish school.
"Earlier today the NYPD shut down a Yeshiva conducting classes with as many as 70 children," de Blasio tweeted. "I can’t stress how dangerous this is for our young people. We’re issuing a Cease and Desist Order and will make sure we keep our communities and our kids safe."
Earlier today the NYPD shut down a Yeshiva conducting classes with as many as 70 children. I can’t stress how dangerous this is for our young people. We’re issuing a Cease and Desist Order and will make sure we keep our communities and our kids safe.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 18, 2020
Just last month, de Blasio slammed the Jewish community after he witnessed a large funeral gathering in Brooklyn and vowed law enforcement intervention if he ever saw anything similar.
"My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed," he said on Twitter late in April. "I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period."
De Blasio doubled down on his remarks later, refusing to apologize for offending Jewish people by singling them out, despite overwhelming pressure to do so. He said only that he apologized if his words caused hurt but that he "spoke last night out of passion." He then said that his message specifically directed at Jews was warranted.
"No, it's not happened in other places, lets' be honest," he said. "It's only happened in a few places ... it's not like people gathering in the park, it was thousands of people...we will not tolerate it ... what I saw I had not seen anywhere else." De Blasio's comments were widely panned by those of all political stripes.
Following his Monday evening tweet, de Blasio faced questions of why he felt it necessary to name the school as a Yeshiva, while seemingly making a point that all New York children should be safe during the pandemic. Others noted his use of the term "our kids," and pointed out that they are, in fact, not his kids at all.
Those are not “our kids”. They are their kids.
— Steph (@steph93065) May 19, 2020
Using the police against Jews and then tweeting about it must be some weird kink for @NYCMayor. Sick stuff. https://t.co/aRzAROIVGX
— David Reaboi (@davereaboi) May 18, 2020
Now when you "can't stress how dangerous this is," are you talking about the numbers of people involved or their religious affiliation? Because we can't always tell by what you say.
— Aldous Huxley's Ghost™ (@AF632) May 18, 2020
Kids are largely not harmed by the virus. Your own city health department confirms this. Try again, Hitler.
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) May 19, 2020
De Blasio has also been under fire this week for threatening would-be beach goers in the Big Apple from venturing into the ocean water against his beach lockdown orders. Hizzoner said that the beaches would not be open by Memorial Day this year and anyone who chose to take a dip anyway would be "taken right out of the water."
As the pandemic continues in America's most populous city, violent crime has increased and enforcements of social distancing have drawn ire from the public. Multiple violent incidents between the NYPD and citizens breaking stay-at-home orders have gone viral on social media as the police seem to use tremendous force to make New Yorkers abide by de Blasio's strict orders.
In a Tuesday morning press conference, de Blasio did not mention his comments about the Yeshiva nor the subsequent widespread criticism. ABC 7 in New York reported on Monday evening that a Brooklyn Yeshiva was shut down by the NYPD, peacefully. A school operator agreed to close and approximately 60 students in multiple classes dispersed at that time.
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