Hatzalah and NYPD Rocked With Assault Calls In Crown Heights Purim Night As Teens Roam The Neighborhood

by CrownHeights.info

Large groups of rowdy teenagers from other Jewish communities descended on Crown Heights Thursday night, the evening of Purim, and spent their time fighting and assaulting people, leading to arrests and numerous calls to Hatzalah for injuries.

The string of incidents began as one large group got into a fight in the area of Montgomery Street and Kingston Ave, prompting a call to the police and the subsequent arrest of two teens. Rather than leave the neighborhood or stop fighting, the group migrated just a few blocks and again began fighting, leading to at least one major incident near the Dreidel where multiple teens were pepper sprayed. Hatzalah was called and treated the teens.

Tolerance in Crown Heights for such groups, which are expected during Simchas Beis Hashoeva, has waned significantly over the years, with the police making arrests in such cases regularly during Tishrei.

Last night’s string of fights and assaults highlights the growing issue of such groups causing havoc and taking up the community’s limited resources.