New York State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division asking for an investigation into the treatment of Jewish New Yorkers.
The complaint points to recent attacks against Jewish residents, citing the assault of Moshe Yitzchak Grunhaus after he left a synagogue and the attack on Philippe Naim, a 65-year-old constituent of Novakhov who suffered a broken hip while walking to synagogue wearing a kippah.
Novakhov's filing asks federal authorities to examine whether the city's and state's response to antisemitic violence meets their obligations under federal civil rights law. It cites NYPD data indicating that about 57 % of reported hate crimes in New York City target Jews, who make up about 10 % of the city's population.
“Jewish New Yorkers are being attacked for being Jewish, and government has a fundamental responsibility to protect them,” Novakhov said. “When a man can be attacked walking out of synagogue and another can have his hip broken while wearing his kippah, we have moved far beyond political rhetoric. This is about people's safety and their civil rights. That is why I am asking the United States Department of Justice to intervene.”
The complaint also raises allegations about Mayor Zohran Mamdani's record, including his previous opposition to changes to New York's bail laws involving hate-crime cases, his arrest after a protest outside U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer's home following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and his stated intention to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The filing follows an Aug. 4 Justice Department statement saying its Civil Rights Division is actively investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, including antisemitic offenses, in New York City and nationwide.
The complaint now asks the Justice Department to review the allegations and determine whether further federal action is warranted.
