Chicago police are searching for two individuals who allegedly made antisemitic remarks before assaulting two Jewish students on DePaul University’s campus. Vi Nguyen has more details.
Chicago police are searching for two individuals who allegedly made antisemitic remarks before assaulting two Jewish students on DePaul University’s campus.
The attack occurred in Lincoln Park Wednesday afternoon, with cellphone video shared with NBC Chicago by the Chicago Jewish Alliance showing the attack.
“I’m unfortunately not surprised, in society we have framed Jewish people and Israel as oppressors and it’s created a permission structure for violence against Jewish people,” said Josh Weiner, who is the cofounder of the Chicago Jewish Alliance.
Weiner told NBC Chicago he knows the victims and has been in contact with them.
“It’s been traumatizing for all of us,” he said. “You don’t have to be part of these situations to be traumatized about it.”
The attack happened right in front of the Student Center in Lincoln Park Wednesday afternoon around 3:20 p.m. Chicago police said the two male victims ages 21 and 27 were standing outside when they were attacked by two masked suspects.
The 27-year-old victim was punched in the face and the 21-year-old victim was pushed to the ground, according to police.
Chicago police released photos of the suspects in the attack, saying they verbally engaged the victims and made antisemitic remarks before punching them.
“One of them is a former IDF soldier and their goal is just to say, talk to an IDF soldier, let’s have a dialogue, let’s create understanding so that we ca find a way to have a peaceful interaction and think about how we can have peace in the Middle East – for that these students were attacked.”
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Police said the attackers took off running. The students declined medical treatment. The university’s president released a letter to students saying they’re outraged.
The letter goes on to read, “It is completely unacceptable and a violation of DePaul’s values to uphold and care for the dignity of every individual. The university is actively working with the Chicago Police Department to investigate this incident so that they can determine whether to classify it as a hate crime that targeted our students because of their Jewish identity.”
Both suspects appeared to be around the age of 20. One stood between 5-feet-8 and 5-feet-11, weighing between 150 and 170 pounds, with a full beard, short dark hair and shaved sides. The individual was seen wearing a black shirt, black pants and black shoes.
The other suspect stood between 5-feet-10 and 6-feet tall, weighing between 150 and 170 pounds. He was wearing a black balaclava, along with a white t-shirt and khaki pants.
The attack comes as the Anti-Defamation League said there has been an uptick in antisemitic incidents in Chicago—a 300% increase over the last year.
“We have seen it with the hate crimes in West Rogers Park, a shooting of a visibly Jewish man, we have seen it here with the attack of students supporting the only Jewish state and we saw it last night at a synagogue when Pro Palestine protestors came into a place of worship to disrupt a discussion from an Arab Israeli about peace,” said Weiner.
Police arrested two people in the incident at the Chicago Loop Synagogue on misdemeanor offenses for criminal trespass and criminal damage to property.
After the attacks, Weiner called for everyone to come together.
“We need to be uplifting everyone regardless,” he said. “E pluribus unum, in many one that’s where we need to be.”
