Elected Officials Call Out NYPD for Giving Hasidim Fines, While Others Receive Masks
Elected officials representing Boro Park and Midwood are calling out NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio for sending the NYPD to slap Hasidic Jews with fines of $1,000 for failing to wear a mask while out in public where there’s no social distancing, while the NYPD tweeted photos of them handing out masks on Saturday.
Following a funeral in Williamsburg, the mayor tweeted a message to “the Jewish community” that the NYPD will be strictly enforcing the Executive Order requiring individuals to wear masks when maintaining social distance of at least 6 feet isn’t possible.
The mayor kept his word, and members of the NYPD's Special Operations group were in Williamsburg on Thursday where they handed out fines to individuals not wearing masks.
But on Saturday thousands of people gathered in Parks across the City, and videos and photos failed to show the NYPD enforcing the regulations or handing out fines.
The NYPD tweeted out multiple photos of units giving out masks to those that didn’t have. “Tale of two cities,” Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein tweeted, attaching a video that a doctor took of Central Park, showing hundreds of people without masks. “Yet chasidim we’re aggressively SLAPPED with summonses of up to $1,000 for not wearing a mask,” Eichenstein tweeted.
“I’m confused,” said NYC Councilman Chaim Deutsch, “when do you give out a mask and when do you give out a summons?”
NYC Councilman Kalman Yeger also called out the double standard, “if they’re not identifiably Jewish, there’s nothing to see here, right?” The councilman said sarcastically.
Former elected officials, including David Greenfield and Dov Hikind joined the chorus to call out the double standard.
Yet chasidim were aggressively SLAPPED with summonses of up to $1,000 for not wearing a mask.
— Simcha Eichenstein (@SEichenstein) May 3, 2020
Tale of two cities. https://t.co/jlGBLoCAvK
Well, I suppose if they're not identifiably Jewish, there's nothing to see here, right? #DoubleStandard https://t.co/0dT2hQk4Ap
— Kalman Yeger ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם (@KalmanYeger) May 3, 2020
I’m confused...when do you give out a mask and when do you give out a summons? https://t.co/ixz3y68kwO pic.twitter.com/Ilhgq4dQVR
— Councilman Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) May 3, 2020
dou·ble stand·ard
— David Schwartz (@DavidSchwartz48) May 3, 2020
/ˈdəbəl ˈstandərd/
noun
a rule or principle which is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups.
(Oxford Dictionary)
CC @NYCMayor @NYPDnews https://t.co/05qIKx6K64
Oh and EVERY video on this site shows ZERO POLICE enforcement today. Message: do whatever the heck you want if you’re not Chasidic https://t.co/5lG9Mg4go7
— David G. Greenfield (@NYCGreenfield) May 3, 2020
This is the @NYCMayor’s famous “TALE OF TWO CITIES”:
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) May 3, 2020
No mask? No mask?
No problem! Summons! pic.twitter.com/CubTvdfNoB