New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (Democrat) issued a warning to the “Jewish community” that he would arrest them for gathering in public as they did for a rabbi’s funeral in the Williamsburg neighborhood Tuesday night. De Blasio personally intervened in the funeral gathering as a violation of social distancing rules for the COVID-19 Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
“Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic. When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus”
“My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.”
“We have lost so many these last two months + I understand the instinct to gather to mourn. But large gatherings will only lead to more deaths + more families in mourning. We will not allow this. I have instructed the NYPD to have one standard for this whole city: zero tolerance.”
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Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic. When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
We have lost so many these last two months + I understand the instinct to gather to mourn. But large gatherings will only lead to more deaths + more families in mourning. We will not allow this. I have instructed the NYPD to have one standard for this whole city: zero tolerance.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
“I empathisize with the desire to mourn those we’ve lost, but this is absolutely unacceptable. The Mayor is on the scene and the NYPD is breaking this up.”
The mayor’s spokeswoman commented earlier.
I empathisize with the desire to mourn those we’ve lost, but this is absolutely unacceptable. The Mayor is on the scene and the NYPD is breaking this up. https://t.co/xBvcICVRSX
— Freddi Goldstein (@FreddiGoldstein) April 29, 2020
Photos and video:
Tipster says this is the Williamsburg funeral today of Rabbi Chaim Mertz who died from COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/wsTvCrlzpb
— Reuven Blau (@ReuvenBlau) April 29, 2020
Police response pic.twitter.com/KcVZYV9C2s
— Reuven Blau (@ReuvenBlau) April 29, 2020
— Reuven Blau (@ReuvenBlau) April 29, 2020
De Blasio’s threat was not well received:
You’re an awful human being. And for the record I was ahead of the curve on it. Also, my sister and her family just moved out of what was once the greatest city in the world. Mazel tov. (Thats Jew talk.) pic.twitter.com/o7XLR7YBSc
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) April 29, 2020
The NYPD are not your personal Nazis. They should tell you to pound sand and stand guard to let people worship.
— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) April 29, 2020
As a Jewish person from Brooklyn NY, I’m disgusted by this. How in the world do you tweet “the Jewish community” You are the mayor of the biggest Jewish population. antisemitism has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels.
Don’t tweet an apology, You should resign Immediately.
— Joel Fischer (@JFNYC1) April 29, 2020
“The Jewish Community”? Which one? The Modern Orthodox on the UWS? The Reform alter cockers on the UES? The Syrian Jews of Midwood? The Bukharians of Queens? Oh, wait, you mean the Satmars of W’burg. Why don’t you say so instead of inflaming antisemtism, you imbecile.
— Lawrence Lewitinn (@lvlewitinn) April 29, 2020
Do you know that Jews were blamed for the Black Plague, and thousands were killed in pogroms? Do you know that white nationalists are RIGHT NOW blaming Jews for this pandemic on internet message boards? How can you do something so dangerous and irresponsible?
— Stefanie Iris Weiss 🔥 (@EcoSexuality) April 29, 2020
