New York police dispersed the rabbi’s funeral: what does the mayor have to do with it and why is the public angry

On April 28, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio instructed police to disperse the funeral of a rabbi who died from COVID-19. He was personally present during this process, a spokeswoman for the mayor said. This publication writes Fox News.

“The time for warnings is over”

On Tuesday evening, April 28, hundreds of Jews gathered in the streets near Rutledge Street and Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg to pay tribute to Rabbi Chaim Merz, who died from coronavirus. However, the funeral procession was violated by the police, who, by order of the mayor, dispersed the crowd.

“I sympathize with the desire to mourn those we have lost, but this is absolutely unacceptable,” she wrote in Twitter spokesman for the mayor Freddie Goldstein. Her post featured a retweet with photos of hundreds of people dressed in black filling an intersection on Rutledge Street in Brooklyn. Under the title of the original tweet, it was stated that the meeting was dedicated to the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Merz. "The mayor (present - Ed.) Is at the scene, and the New York police disperse (people - Ed.)," She wrote.

Bill de Blasio himself noted that in Williamsburg "something completely unacceptable happened." “My message to the Jewish community and all communities is simple: the time for warnings is over,” he wrote on Twitter. “I have instructed the NYPD to immediately call or even arrest those who gather in large groups. It's about stopping this disease and saving lives. Point".

Larger assemblies “will only result in more deaths” and more funerals, de Blasio claimed.

There are more confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in New York than in any other state. And social distance is designed to stop the spread of the virus, said Bill de Blasio. And these measures, he said, work.

Restrictions include maintaining a distance from people who are not members of your family; the distance must be at least 1,8 meters (6 feet); It is also forbidden to gather in groups. In addition, it is forbidden to work for enterprises that are not vital to the city. Funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries are considered such, but people are still forbidden to gather in groups.

Bill de Blasio told New Yorkers on April 18 that they could use their smartphones to photograph social distancing violations and send them to the authorities, and "law enforcement will come." “It's easier than ever,” he said in a video posted on his official Twitter account. "When you see a crowd, or a supermarket that is too crowded - whatever - you can report it right now so we can fix the problem."

Public response

The mayor’s decision to disperse the rabbi’s funeral caused a wave of indignation, the newspaper writes. New York Post.

The organizers claimed that the mayor actually approved the meeting. Tuesday on satmar hasidic's page Twitter it was also reported that the funeral was approved by Bill de Blasio.

On Wednesday, April 29, NYPD did not report any subpoenas or arrests at the funeral. However, on the same day, City Hall spokeswoman Olivia Lapeyrolerie told The Post that “permission was not issued to hold this meeting.”

Anti-Defamation League head Jonathan Greenblatt blamed de Blasio for his comments. “Hey @NYCMayor, #NYC has over 1 million Jews. The few who do not respect the social distance should be named - but generalization against the entire population is outrageous, especially when there are so many scapegoats among the many Jews, ”he wrote on Twitter. And he added that "this undermines the very unity that our city needs now more than ever."

Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, on April 29 recommended his organization to formally condemn the mayor. “Last night, the mayor portrayed the Jewish community as a lawbreaker, indifferent to public health. I agree with the mayor that social distancing is vital and yesterday's meeting was inappropriate, ”Lauder said. "But blaming the entire Jewish community for this is the type of stereotype that is dangerous and unacceptable at any time, and especially destructive at a time when the world is gripped by fear and the worst of us are looking for scapegoats."

Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro said: “I can’t imagine de Blasio talking about any other community. This is pretty amazing. And for the record, many of the leaders of the Jewish community have taken strong positions in social distance. ”

But there were those who stood up for the mayor, including his wife Chirlan McCray. She said that his "reaction was directed at those who were not socially distanced." “The last thing we need is more funeral. So I think the mayor has to take a strong position, ”she told CNN.

Twitter user @SimonPhoenix wrote: “No, idiots, this is not anti-Semitism. Parts of the Hasidic Jewish community in New York act as if they were above the law. ” He added that the mayor of New York “had the courage” to handle it.