Defendant Allegedly Assaulted Three Orthodox Jewish Women in
Crown Heights
A criminal complaint was unsealed yesterday in federal court
in Brooklyn charging Tiffany Harris with committing three separate anti-Semitic
attacks against Orthodox Jewish women while they were walking on public streets
in Brooklyn, New York, during Hanukkah.
Harris will make her initial appearance at a later date.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge,
Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F.
Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the
charges.
As set forth in the complaint, the first attack occurred on
December 27, 2020, at approximately 12:40 a.m., at the corner of Eastern
Parkway and Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights.
Harris approached a woman who was walking alone and, without warning,
slapped her in the face with an open hand.
Five minutes later at the corner of President Street and Kingston
Avenue, Harris approached a woman who was walking with a group of people – two
of whom were visibly Orthodox Jewish – and slapped the victim in the back of
her head with an open hand while stating, “F—k the Jews.” Several minutes later at the same
intersection, Harris approached a third victim who was walking alongside
another visibly Orthodox Jewish woman, and slapped her in the face with an open
hand. Harris was arrested by NYPD
officers near the scene of the assaults, and was positively identified by the
three victims.
“As alleged in the criminal complaint, the defendant
attacked three women solely because they were Jewish, striking not only at the
innocent victims, but also at our country’s founding principles of tolerance
and respect for civil rights,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The use of violence, or the threats of
violence, against anyone based on the victim’s religion will not be tolerated,
and those who engage in such conduct will learn that under federal law there
are serious consequences for hate crimes.”
Mr. Donoghue commended the NYPD officers who quickly responded and
apprehended the defendant.
“Any offensive physical assault is a crime of violence, and
it should be obvious that perpetrators need to be held accountable,” stated FBI
Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“When one’s actions are motivated by their hatred of another group and
supported by anti-Semitic sentiments, however, it opens up the possibility of
federal criminal charges, which are hard to walk away from. Tiffany Harris now
faces up to 10 years in prison for her alleged actions. The lesson to others
thinking of behaving as we allege Ms. Harris did—knock it off now or we are
going to lock you up. The anti-Semitic attacks in this city and elsewhere have
been outrageous, and the FBI will use the full extent of the laws at our
disposal to protect the community.”
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the
defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10
years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil
Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorney Gillian Kassner is in charge
of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
TIFFANY HARRIS
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-10
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