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New York, NY – Quiet has returned but tensions remain high following a massive protest in Borough Park where the actions of the police, and the words of the highest ranking NYPD official are being called into question.
Hundreds of Borough Park residents rushed the 66th precinct station house chanting “No justice, no peace” to protest what witnesses say was the rough treatment of a 75-year-old Hasidic business-owner by police.
Chief of Department Joseph Esposito now admits he made inappropriate comments during the chaos. He does not however admit to singling out Jews in his words as some city council members say he did.
The Police department released a statement saying Esposito “acknowledged that in attempting to bring under control a chaotic situation in front of the 66th Precinct stationhouse last night he used inappropriate language in instructing police officers.”
Brooklyn City Councilor Simcha Felder accused the chief of saying, “get the …. Jews out of here. Get the …. Jews out of here. That is something that is inexcusable, intolerable,” Felder says.
U/D: 22:39
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly insisted he had “total confidence” in the chief.
“Sometimes in a chaotic situation things may be said that people might regret in the future,” Kelly said. “But he’s an outstanding commander, and I think overall the situation was handled well.”
When he was responding to a reporter’s question about whether his officers had trod too lightly, Mr. Kelly said that the response had been appropriate.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said that, although officials would review the entire episode, “from what I can see the police department acted appropriately.”
Dov Hikind blamed the police, and of Esposito, he said: “We don’t want his head. We want an apology.” “The behavior of the young people in the street was unfortunate, but it escalated because of the police,” he said.
IF RELIGIOUS JEWS ARE RIOTING,THEY DESERVE TO BE CALLED LIKE THIS,THEY DON’T DO G-D’S WILL, THIS IS CALLED CHILLUL HASHEM!
He did not say ALL Jews were “….”.
And besides, the epithet fits. If you act like chayas, expect to be treated like chayas.
YOU ALL FEEL IT’S ANTI SEMITISM WITH THE TICKET GIVING. WHY CAN’T WE FOLLOW RULES AND PARK LEGALLY AND NOT TALK ON CELL PHONES AND WEAR SEAT BELTS???? HOW MANY TIMES I SEE KIDS OUT OF SEAT BELTS. TRY FOLLOWING THE LAW???
HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE REGRETABLE COMMENTS TO YOUR OWN CHILDREN IN A TIME OF ANGER AND CHAOS.??
JOE ESPOSITO HAS BEEN THERE FOR US. THE FACT IS THAT THE PEOPLE ACTED LIKE ANIMALS. IF YOU HAVE APROBLEM WITH A POLICE OFFICER GET THE BADGE NUMBER AND WRITE A LETTER. DON’T BURN GARBAGE CANS. GO TO THE PRECINCT AND MAKE A COMPLAINT/. GO PEACEFULLY WITH A GROUP!!
Boro Park is not alone. There has been one police car since this past Sunday prowling Nostrand from Avenue N to K giving tickets.
where is issac abraham??????
THANK YOU SIMCHA FELDER for supporting the community
Firing Esposito will do little about the problem. What we want is action against cops that harrass the community.
Last week in Israel, an Arab dressed in Jewish garb got a ride and killed 4 Jews. Is that what is happening there?
As someone who lives in Ohio, and who is following the attacks on Jews in Israel more than in the USA, my observation is that there was no riot. In looking at the photos kindly provided by a link from this site, I saw orderly men in rows, standing still, observing, and walking in an orderly fashion down the street.
It seems to me that only a very few acted incorrectly.
It was also a great surprise to see the helicopters and riot police all appear so quickly. In fact, what I saw looks like Jews standing by silently, and police attacking for no reason.
All this gives me the feeling that it was a planned set up of sorts.
I am wondering if you are experiencing having outside agitators come in to the community for the precise purpose of causing such mayhem, which in the future will be waved around as a “cause” for further repression.
I urge you to find out who got things really revved up.
Instigators – and they are professional – will get folks going and then disappear, or get arrested for cover and quickly released, etc.
In re the Chief taking a temper tantrum – Even being under duress, the things he said – on the record – are the proof of his real position. I believe that there is halacha on this? These kinds of exclamatory statements might be viewed as accurate, as there was no opportunity to calculate.
Lastly, aren’t we to judge fellow Jews most favorably, and the gentile police not so?
I agree, instead of taking the chance to talk about how frustrated the community is, they apologize for the community. That is insane!
If they are getting mikes and cameras in their faces, they should talk about the abuse, harrasment, threats, etc. Not apologize.
I don’t understand… one minute you guys want action and responsibility taken… but then the next you don’t want Espo to be fired… so what do you guys want??
Yep I was there and he said it.
Kudos to Felder & Hikind for comming out and saying the truth and asking for Espos removal.
I did nopt see other shvitzers joining Felder & Hikind. If these shvitzers represent us where are they now, licking upto Espo?
Had last night’s episode occurred in a black neighborhood we would have heard the politicians at the front of the crowd defending the old feeble, Holocaust survivor and calling for his immediate release.
Councilman Felder had this been your old father, roughed up by some punk cops, would you still declare so self-righteously that the police must enforce the law?
This is not simply an innocent or isolated case of miscommunication!
There is a pervasive attitude of disdain for community residents in the 66th precinct. In response, there is a simmering resentment among community residents, against our elected officials for avoiding the issues.
It is common knowledge that the previous commanding officer of the 66th precinct. Deputy Inspector Stephen McAllister, redeployed Police Officer Mascarini in response to a letter from a mere ordinary citizen.
Police Officer Mascarini was harassing the community for years. The politicians and Shomrim wishing to continuously ingratiate themselves with the precinct took no action against him.
When the new commander Peter DeBlazio came in and brought back his old crony Police Officer Mascarini to Boro Park from Ocean Parkway. It was citizen’s e-mails and blogging on the Internet that got him transferred out of the precinct, not political pressure.
What does the precinct command do? Instead of community outreach they decided on collective punishment for Boro Park. They replaced Police Officer Mascarini with three new officers to do the same thing he was doing until now. This has been going on for a couple of months and again, the politicians do nothing. Speak to Simcha Felder and he will tell you “the police must enforce the law.”
So let me ask you, Mr. Felder. Is this the type of law enforcement which you find acceptable? To have our elderly parents and grandparents, holocaust survivors traumatized and flattened against police cars by rogue cops simply because they did not obey a command, which came over a police loudspeaker, which they did not understand or hear clearly?
Did the police officers involved really believe that this elderly man was an imminent threat to their safety?
This is not simply an exercise of poor judgment; this is an abuse of police discretion which we as a community can ill afford. This type of police conduct may have lethal ramifications for us residents.
Every police officer is equipped with a weapon for self-defense. If an officer can mistake the 85 year old man’s actions as threatening, then of us or our residents are in mortal danger of being fired upon by police officers, whose professional judgment, or common sense, is absent or lacking at a critical moment.
We must insist that the command train all the officers that come into daily contact with our citizens, so that they understand our culture and community life. We are a very law abiding community and every officer who works in our precinct should consider it a privilege to work in Boro Park.
Simcha Felder and Dov Hikind that is the message you should be touting, so that this episode should never be repeated again!
esposito was never good to community he was good to the Switzers. its time for him to go and get a new guy that will be sensitive to our community
“Many heimishe lost hundreds of thousands of dollars by him.”
Are you kidding? It’s more like 76 million dollars!
David Schick should rot in jail!
when jews act like shvatzas, we get treated like them, before you blame espo look into our own atrocious actions last night
For all those who want to know, Arthur Schick is the father of the infamous David Schick, who is sitting in prison. Many heimishe lost hundreds of thousands of dollars by him.
why are you posting the 10-75 here, when Shloma Shamos posted it as news on the main page?
to 3:38 – you are right, however, by demanding espo’s resignation we might get the extensive review
there was a 10-75 in an apartment building 5701 15ave H requested
>>>The police sometimes are animals,
And, apparantely, we have a ton of animals in our communities too.
The Message Would never come across to the department, To behave with sensitivity to humans, and specially to elderly if not of this whole commotion, It the best thing we could of done,
The police sometimes are animals,
one thing is sure i dont know esposito personally and im not a shvitzer thats involved to know him but if one of the big guys get removed the one that replaces him will make sure it doesnt happen again. can someone post what espo did for our comunity
you are right that rioting is not acceptable, but what experienced last night is far from a riot.
yodoa shesav sonah leyaakov adam nikar bekoso bekiso UVKAASO
Heard from a reliable source…HE SAID IT and it might even be on video tape…
but, we all say inappropriate things under duress and that’s what an apology is for. just think how many times you’ve said something which you didnt mean (and even if you did) and then regreted it. people are human and humans have the uncanning ability to forgive and move on. thjose who want to make a big stink out of it are the ones creating the chillul and they should be dealt with by the appropriate rabonim to teach some some basics.
As far as the actions of the police go, they used poor judgement which requires extensive review considering the communty it happened in.
And the re-action of the community?? rioting is NEVER aceptable unless your life is in danger…
ESPO HAS BEEN A LONG TIME JEW HATER HE HAS NOT BEEN NICE TO US
HE ONLY DID WHAT HE HAD TO
This is not hearsay and many people heard it.
Regardless, even if he said it, it was in the heat of frustration, and calling for his removal is wrong.
He has done too much for our community, probably more than Hiking, Dear, and Felder combined.
WHat execetly did he day
get rid of hiukind and felder
Idiot,
The ones accusing him are the ones that heard him first hand in the precinct house last night!
Please give me a break. Do you folks think for one minute that the Chief of the Department, the highest ranking uniformed member of the force and a person very well versed in the conditions and needs of numberous ethnic communities around the city, would or could possible say something so insensitive? He has done much too much good to be removed for nothing but heresay. The politicians accusing him are the ones that should be removed.
I spoke to someone who was in the precinct when Esposito made the remarks. Unfortunately he lost himself and should have never made those remarks. He has been so good to all of us over the years. It is a big mistake for felder, Hikind and the others that he was pogeiyah in their kovod to step down. He should just apologize and everything will be fine.
it is time for us to say to esposito get the f*** out of of here ! does edgar gluck have any comments ?
The fact remains that he has done much for the community. I thing that Felder is calling for him to be replaced is a big mistake.
He should just apologize and move on.
Oh boy this will cost him his Job.
Espo has been in there for to long.