Two Jewish men attacked within two days in New York

CCTV captures attacker sneaking up on victim before punching him in back of head

Police have launched hate crime investigations after two Jewish men were attacked within two days in New York.

An Orthodox Jewish man wearing a shtreimel, a fur hat often worn by Hasidic Jews on the Sabbath, was punched in the back of the head in Brooklyn around 6.40pm on Friday.

The incident was captured on CCTV and showed the attacker sneaking up from behind the victim before breaking into a jog and striking the victim.

The attacker can then be seen fleeing from the scene.

Police said the victim was left with minor injuries.

Another Jewish man was attacked on his way to synagogue on Saturday, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

The victim was attacked from behind around 6.30am and suffered injuries to his head, hand and neck, the paper reported.

Police are investigating both attacks, which are not thought to be linked, as hate crimes.

The Anti-Defamation League has also offered a $5,000 (£3,900) reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects, ABC News reported.

Evan Bernstein, regional director for ADL, told the broadcaster the organisation is becoming "increasingly concerned" about recent attacks, including a "number of unprovoked assaults on Orthodox Jewish individuals in Brooklyn in recent weeks".

"Our Orthodox communities are particularly vulnerable, and Jewish communities are feeling increasingly afraid," he added.

Antisemitic crimes in New York have increased by almost 25 per cent over the last year, the NYPD told CBS News.

There was a 37 per cent rise in antisemitic attacks across the US in 2017, FBI data released last month showed.

It comes after 11 people were killed and seven injured in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in October.

Robert Bowers, who has 44 charges against him ranging from murder to hate crimes, has pleaded not guilty.