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Holiday Greetings Spark Subway Brawl

From Nkechi Nneji,
CNN
Posted: 2007-12-13 09:49:44
Filed Under: Crime News, Nation News
NEW YORK (Dec. 13) -- A Muslim man jumped to the aid of three Jewish subway riders after they were attacked by a group of young people who objected to one of the Jews saying "Happy Hanukkah," a spokeswoman for the three said Wednesday.

Photo Gallery: 'I Don't Understand'

AP

Walter Adler said that he and two friends were attacked on a New York subway train Friday after he responded "Happy Hanukkah" to a "Merry Christmas" greeting.

    1 of 3
The New York Police Department's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating Friday's incident on the Q train.

Friday's altercation on the Q train began when somebody yelled out "Merry Christmas," to which rider Walter Adler responded, "Happy Hanukkah," said Toba Hellerstein.

"Almost immediately, you see the look in this guy's face like I've called his mother something," Adler told CNN affiliate WABC.

Two women who were with a group of 10 rowdy people then began to verbally assault Adler's companions with anti-Semitic language, Hellerstein said.

One member of the group allegedly yelled, "Oh, Hanukkah. That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," she said.

When Adler tried to intercede, a male member of the group punched him, she said.

Another passenger, Hassan Askari -- a Muslim student from Bangladesh -- came to Adler's aid, and the group began physically and verbally assaulting him, Hellerstein said.

"A Muslim-American saved us when our own people were on the train and didn't do anything," Adler said.

Adler pulled the emergency brake and the train stopped at DeKalb Avenue station, where police came on board.

The 10 suspects, ages 19 to 20, were taken into custody, said Brooklyn district attorney spokesman Sandy Silverstein.

Askari was first handcuffed alongside them, but he was released when Adler told police he was not an attacker, Hellerstein said.

Alder was treated at Long Island College Hospital for injuries that included a fractured nose and a cut lip that required several stitches, while Askari suffered a black eye, Hellerstein said.

The suspects are to appear in Brooklyn District Court on February 7 on charges that include assault, attempted assault, menacing, harassment, unlawful assembly, riot and disorderly conduct, Silverstein said.

The New York Police Department's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, and will determine whether the suspects will be charged with hate crimes, Officer Philip Hauser told CNN.

2007-12-13 07:22:44
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 1242
1242 comments

grovecitygoston 12:00:30 PM Dec 31 2007

jews do not believe jesus is god--but they will someday

grovecitygoston 11:57:02 AM Dec 31 2007

christians are spiritual jews

grovecitygoston 11:46:08 AM Dec 31 2007

White people are afraid to go to anyone's aid these days

Philipjay 07:29:48 PM Dec 17 2007

It's great to hear an American-Muslim went to the aid of the attacked Jewish sub rider. More American Muslim need to make their good wishes known so we may stop profiling all based on the current wave of terrorism manifested by mid-east insurgent Miuslims. Perhaps it may send a well-meaning message to those who make war.

Garre9J 06:43:00 PM Dec 15 2007

Its that neighbor thing, The Muslim fellow was the good Samaritan this time

onetruway 04:06:46 PM Dec 15 2007

Unfortunately uneducated people will always be ignorant to the TRUTH ! As long as so-called educated pastors continue to tell lies about Jesus, hate crimes like this will continue.
The TRUTH is Jesus is Jewish (Luke 2:41-49), had Jewish parents, taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple (John 18:20), kept the Sabbath and celebrated Chanukah (John 10:22-23).
Zechariah 8:22-23
22) Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. (23) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.
Educate yourself, READ YOUR BIBLE!!!!
GOD warned us about Christmas hundreds of years before Christ:
Jeremiah 10:2-4
(2) Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the he

onetruway 04:06:13 PM Dec 15 2007

Unfortunately uneducated people will always be ignorant to the TRUTH ! As long as so-called educated pastors continue to tell lies about Jesus, hate crimes like this will continue.
The TRUTH is Jesus is Jewish (Luke 2:41-49), had Jewish parents, taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple (John 18:20), kept the Sabbath and celebrated Chanukah (John 10:22-23).
Zechariah 8:22-23
22) Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. (23) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.
Educate yourself, READ YOUR BIBLE!!!!
GOD warned us about Christmas hundreds of years before Christ:
Jeremiah 10:2-4
(2) Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the he

stpwheeler101 04:05:02 PM Dec 15 2007

ItzAbber 01:13:02 PM Dec 15 2007

Report This! Crap. 'Rowdy' young people, huh. It's a blatant hate crime. Punish them to the fullest extent of the law, put them all in a small cell together, throw away the key and walk away, far away.
9.9

That will never happen----rowdy young person is now what he media and the PC machine are calling blacks----just like the riots in France----they would not say black men----only rowdy youths---or young people-----don't you know that hate crime legislation is used against all but blacks??

ItzAbber 01:13:00 PM Dec 15 2007

Crap. 'Rowdy' young people, huh. It's a blatant hate crime. Punish them to the fullest extent of the law, put them all in a small cell together, throw away the key and walk away, far away.
9.9

charlmakams 08:11:08 AM Dec 15 2007

For anybody interested at all in finding solutions for our broken-down and/or usless mental-health deliery system in America, a must-read recent book spells it all out in black-and-white. Mike and Pete Earley's "CRAZY" book might be a bit of a misnomer, but it follows Mike's process through America's justice and/or mental-health delivery system. Mike Earley gave his author/father permission to use his real name in the book if it might just help others that come down with bipolar and/or manic depression. While attending college, Mike comes down with profound and/ or deep depression and while on a "manic" high, Mike broke into a woman's home while she was gone and urinated on and/or otherwise ruined the woman's carpet. When Mike was caught, the lady insiste that Mike be charged as a felon-for-life for his destroying her most-beautiful carpets and insulting her. Mike's came to his son's side at this time and thus began his long search through the "system" in order to get help for his youn

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