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An antisemitic assault in New York City last fall that left Israeli educator Rami Glickstein with serious injuries has now led to federal hate crime charges, according to an indictment unsealed by U.S. authorities on Wednesday.
Prosecutors say the attacker deliberately targeted Jewish victims because of their faith.
Targeted Attack in Midtown Manhattan
The assault on Glickstein occurred on October 27 as he walked through Midtown Manhattan toward a kosher restaurant. According to the indictment, a man confronted him, pointed at his kippah, and demanded to know his religion.
When Glickstein did not answer, the assailant tore the kippah from his head, threw it to the ground, and spat on it. As Glickstein bent to retrieve it, the attacker punched him in the face, sending him to the pavement. Glickstein suffered a brain bleed and a broken nose. Two Orthodox Jewish men wearing kippahs intervened, creating an opening for him to escape into the restaurant.
WILD FOOTAGE FROM NYC 🔴
A visibly Jewish tourist from Jerusalem, 59-year-old Rami Glikstein, suffered a brain bleed after being attacked in Midtown Manhattan. Police say a man dressed in black knocked off his yarmulke, stomped on it, then punched him in the face near the kosher… pic.twitter.com/2DDh8M957y
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 29, 2025
Violence Extended to Other Jewish Bystanders
Prosecutors say the attacker hurled antisemitic statements at the men who tried to help Glickstein. He then struck one of them in the head and aggressively chased the third, who was injured while fleeing. Federal authorities later identified the suspect as Alazim Baker, a 29-year-old from Irvington, New Jersey.
Federal Hate Crime Charges Announced
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Baker with two counts of committing hate crimes in connection with the assaults on Jewish victims. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The announcement was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“As alleged, Alazim Baker deliberately targeted Jewish victims with violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Violence motivated by antisemitism or any other anti-faith bias has no place in this great city.”
FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director Terence G. Reilly condemned the attack as well, calling the alleged crimes “despicable” and stressing that hate-driven violence harmed entire communities. He added that the FBI remained committed to holding perpetrators accountable and reaffirming that targeted violence would not be tolerated.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
