New York’s solidarity march in photos, tweets and links

January 6, 2020 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Protesters carried signs across the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

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Thousands of people marched over the Brooklyn Bridge to Cadman Plaza on Sunday in a show of solidarity with the city’s Jewish community.

Signs reading “No Hate, No Fear” bobbed over the marchers’ heads as they streamed across the bridge into Brooklyn, the borough that has recently witnessed the most anti-Semitic incidents in the city. The NYPD estimated the crowd at 20,000, according to the New York Daily News.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo participates in “No Hate, No Fear” Solidarity March across Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Those who marched extended their solidarity beyond the Jewish community.

“It’s important that we start having conversations in the Jewish community about how to defeat anti-Semitism without solely relying on more police flooding the streets of our neighbors, who are black and brown and historically over policed,” said Sharona, a member of Outlive Them NYC. The group says it is a coalition of antifascist Jews and antiracist allies.

Helene Wallenstein held a sign reading “We Are All Neighbors,” depicting symbols of several faiths. She told The New York Times that people of all faiths should stand together.

“We’re feeling it now but it can turn on anybody,” Wallenstein said. “It’s not okay.”

People take part in a march crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in solidarity with the Jewish community after recent string of anti-Semitic attacks. Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP

The march comes in response to an alarming spate of anti-Semitic incidents extending across the five boroughs. Such incidents are up 21 percent as of Dec. 29, according to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, and Mayor Bill de Blasio has called the rash of crimes a “crisis.”

We will defeat racial and religious intolerance.

TOGETHER.#NoHateNoFear

✡️ ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/udM0G57Q8A

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) January 5, 2020

Organizers, including the UJA Federation of New York, also pointed to the violent attacks in Monsey and Jersey City.

The marchers rallied in Cadman Plaza where they heard statements from organizers and elected officials. Photo: Beverly Closs

There have been more than a dozen attacks or bias incidents against Jewish people since Dec. 23, the Daily News reports.

I have chills watching footage of the thousands of Jews and allies on the Brooklyn Bridge today. Last week, my Palestinian Muslim dad called briefly only to ask me to pray for NYC’s Jews. “They’re our cousins,” he said. It struck me as very sweet and incredibly sad. #NoHateNoFear

— Khalid El Khatib (@kmelkhat) January 5, 2020

Holocaust survivors were in the crowd, according to the Daily News.

Marchers cross the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP

“I was smuggled out of Austria,” Franz Leichter, 89, told the paper. “I think we must stand up. I think the good citizens are the majority and overwhelm the minority and they must express themselves.”

Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein crosses the Brooklyn Bridge playing the guitar and singing at today's #NoHateNoFear rally. More of our coverage: https://t.co/Jgu0wcPhfe pic.twitter.com/JallEVXBG6

— The Forward (@jdforward) January 5, 2020

Gov. Andrew Cuomo attended the rally and announced a boost to security at New York’s religious institutions, with an additional $45 million for security, the New York Post reports.

“Discrimination and racism and anti-Semitism is repugnant to every value that New Yorkers hold dear and is repugnant to every value that this country represents,” Cuomo said. “Racism and anti-Semitism is anti-American.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at the podium. Photo: Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

That allocation adds to a slate of initiatives, from federal lawmakers down to the borough president, to protect the city’s Jewish community and bring down the rates of hate crimes citywide. The city’s congressional caucus is increasing funds to related nonprofits and houses of worship, the City Council is asking for more transparency from police, and the borough president wants to break bread with Brooklynites of different backgrounds.

We’re facing an anti-Semitism crisis, and not just in this city. It’s happening across our country and planet. We can’t ignore it or hide from it — we have to confront it. We have to stand in solidarity with our Jewish community and reject hate with one clear voice. #NoHateNoFear pic.twitter.com/zqwsSb6PCO

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) January 5, 2020

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced out a multi-pronged initiative last week to increase police patrols, develop classroom curriculum to combat hate crime and organize neighborhood coalitions.

Additional reporting by Beverly Closs.