Jewish Communities Protest Against Unjust Coronavirus Restrictions in Borough Park

Severely enraged by the new state-mandated restrictions that have been placed on nine predominantly Jewish zip codes in NYC, hundreds of members of the Borough Park Orthodox community took to the streets late last night, lighting a fire in protest.

The new state-mandated restrictions imposed on synagogues, schools, and non-essential businesses over a COVID-19 surge have been discriminatory against Jewish communities living in Brooklyn, who took to the streets to voice out the injustice that had been pushed towards them by both- Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. With slogans that screaming ‘Jewish Lives Matter’, protesters went on to showcase their rage by lighting a rubbish fire after midnight at the intersection of 46th Street and 13th Avenue. The fire was then doused by FDNY firefighters at around 1:30 am.

Source: NY Post

The new state-mandated guidelines state that red “intense clusters” will see all non-essential businesses and schools closed, restaurants reduced to takeout only, mass gatherings prohibited and houses of worship limited to a maximum of 25 percent capacity or 10 people. In orange zones schools will also go to remote learning, high-risk non-essential businesses including gyms will be closed, restaurants will be restricted to outdoor dining with a maximum of four people per table and mass gatherings will be capped at 10 attendees, and houses of worship at either 25 congregants or 33 percent capacity.

We have a clear and effective plan to respond to any clusters that threaten our progress.

We will attack each area in the cluster with appropriate restrictions.

Here is the map of the Brooklyn cluster along with the rules. pic.twitter.com/xdV84gcQJg

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) October 6, 2020

The protests saw humungous support at 50th Street and 15th avenue at about 9 p.m. when community activist Heshy Tischler taking center stage, ripping Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio and warning that the community would sue them for this discriminatory behavior. Addressing the protesters as well as the media directly, Tischler took off his mask and exclaimed, “It’s called civil disobedience, we can fight back. Do not allow them (the Governor and the Mayor) to torture you or scare you.

Source: Flipboard

As reported by Boro Park News, Councilman Kalman Yeger also showed up at another protest on 13th Avenue, saying, “We are not going to be deprived of the right that we have in America, like everybody else in America, the right to observe our religion.” The lawmakers also said that even though they represent COVID-19 hot-spot neighborhoods, the Cuomo administration has left them, their religion, and their businesses in shambles after the shutdown decision.