Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
New York Post
Florida man becomes 6th charged with antisemitic mob beating of Jewish man in Times Square
By Kyle Schnitzer,
2 days ago
A Florida man became the sixth attacker indicted in the brutal caught-on-camera beating of a Jewish man in Times Square in 2021, Manhattan prosecutors said Thursday.
Salem Seleiman, 28, was arrested on a warrant on May 10 — nearly three years after he allegedly joined the hateful mob who pummeled victim Joseph Borgen during clashes between Israel and Palestinian supporters in Midtown.
Seleiman was part of a pack of men that hurled antisemitic slurs like “dirty Jew,” “filthy Jew” and “f–k Israel” at Borgen, who was wearing a yarmulke, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Salem Seleiman, 28, became the sixth person charged for attacking a Jewish man in Times Square on May 20, 2021. Rob Bertrand via Storyful
The 29-year-old victim, who had been attending a pro-Israel rally when he was attacked May 20, 2021, was thrown to the ground, punched, hit with a crutch and pepper-sprayed — with footage of the vicious beating later going viral on social media.
As good Samaritans tried to intervene, Seleiman pretended to offer to help Borgen — only to then unload a kick in his face as he lay on the ground, prosecutors said.
“Seleiman’s alleged conduct was abhorrent and many of the other individuals who joined him have already been convicted and are serving state prison sentences,” DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
“Violently assaulting someone because of their religion is unacceptable, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, community groups and local leaders to address attacks on the Jewish community.”
Seleiman, who was extradited from Tampa, Fla., was arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court Thursday and pleaded not guilty to hate crime assault and attempted gang assault charges. Judge Felicia Mennin set his bail at $50,000.
He told The Post on Thursday that he was glad to see the men accused of beating him held accountable — but said he hopes that the DA’s office will hold other antisemitic and hate crime attacks to the same standard.
“It’s good to see that at least in my case there was accountability and justice, but hopefully that can be the norm moving forward as it relates to antisemitic and hate crimes of all types … especially when we see other cases that aren’t being taken seriously enough, like the Columbia University case,” Borgen said.
Seleiman was held on $50,000 bail at his arraignment Thursday. no credit
Bragg has faced backlash for recently dropping charges against anti-Israel Columbia protesters — with dozens of protesters flocked his office building last week, claiming the DA was setting a “strikingly dangerous precedent.”
Seleiman’s attorney, Toni Marie Messina, did not return a request for comment.
He is set to return to court on October 3.
For the latest metro stories, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/metro/
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0