Solidarity stance

Crown Hts. unites to cool racial tension

It’s been a hot summer in Crown Heights.

After years of relative quiet, a recent string of alleged bias incidents and an uptick in robberies have sparked concern among both black and Jewish community leaders in the historically emotion-charged neighborhood.

“My concern right now is that there is a powder keg out there,” said Robert Matthews, chairman of Community Board 8, which covers the neighborhood. “We need to get to the source of it and eradicate it.”

Leaders from the two groups have held a series of meetings lately to discuss ways to dissolve the feared increase in racial tensions.

They also joined forces to march through the neighborhood last week to send a message of solidarity.

“Everyone is saying with one voice that hate crimes will not be tolerated,” said Rabbi Chanina Sperlin of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, which hosted the march and a community forum last Thursday.

Crown Heights was roiled by rioting in 1991 when a black boy died after being run over by a Jewish driver. Hours later, a Jewish student was fatally stabbed by a mob.

The recent meetings were prompted by a pair of nearly back-to-back allegedly anti-Jewish incidents – though local black leaders noted there have been reports of anti-black sentiment as well.

Last week, a 50-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was chased and beaten by black teens shouting anti-Semitic remarks. Three days earlier, two Jewish ambulances had their tires slashed.

Both incidents are under investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Unit. No arrests have been made.

“The Police Department obviously takes these incidents very seriously,” said Capt. Daniel Sosnowik, executive officer of the 71st Precinct, who added that cops have stepped up patrols. “If for some reason a certain community in our precinct is targeted, that is something that immediately concerns us.”

The alleged bias incidents have also come during an upswing in robberies in the neighborhood that, together with the heat wave, has helped to fray nerves, leaders said.

“It’s humid. It’s hot,” said Sperlin. “There has been a lot of crime that we didn’t see in the past.”

According to police statistics, robberies were up more than 20% in the 71st Precinct for the four weeks ending July 24, compared with the same period last year.

Despite the tensions, Borough President Marty Markowitz said the two communities have much better communication than they did in 1991.

“I’m concerned, obviously, and we want to nip this in the bud,” said Markowitz. “But the bad old days are not back at all.”