New York stabbing: Rising fears of violent antisemitism after 13th attack on Jewish people in just 3 weeks

Mayor pledges to end hate crime ‘crisis’ following stabbings at Hanukkah celebration

New York will introduce a series of measures to tackle a “crisis” of antisemitism attacks in the region, its mayor Bill de Blasio has announced.

Five people were stabbed at a Hasidic rabbi’s home during a Hanukkah celebration on Saturday in the 13th antisemitic attack in New York since 8 December, according to the state’s governor.

Mr de Blasio has said security will be increased in areas with large Jewish populations, and schools will teach children about how to tackle hate crimes.

“The spirit we bring today is one of resolve and relentlessness. We will keep adding as many measures as it takes to end this crisis,” he told reporters on Sunday.

“We have to give people a sense of security, and we have to show that this horrible trend we’ve seen over the last weeks will be stopped dead in its tracks.”

Mr de Blasio has also announced the formation of a multi-ethnic, interfaith safety coalition which will meet to plan how to stop potential hate crimes before they happen.

Following a number of attacks earlier this month, the crime prevention group Guardian Angels has said it will start patrolling neighbourhoods in Brooklyn with large Jewish populations.

The suspected attacker, identified as Grafton Thomas, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary following the attack on Saturday.

His lawyer has issued a statement arguing that he has a “long history of mental illness and hospitalisations” and has “no known history of antisemitism”.

Donald Trump described the stabbings as “horrific” on Sunday and urged people to “come together to fight, confront, and eradicate the evil scourge of antisemitism.”

The attack, which occurred on the seventh night of Hanukkah, has been called an act of “domestic terrorism” by New York’s state governor Andrew Cuomo.

“This is an intolerant time in our country. We see anger, we see hatred exploding,” Mr Cuomo said.

“It is an American cancer on the body politic.”

The stabbings have left one person critically wounded, the governor said, and also injured the rabbi’s son.

Aron Kohn, who was in the rabbi’s house at the time, told The New York Times: “I was praying for my life. We didn’t have time to react at all.”​

Police were able to track the suspect to Manhattan after he fled the scene and made an arrest within two hours of the attack.

The incident follows a number of attacks against Jewish people in the region, including a 10 December massacre at a kosher grocery store in New Jersey.

Brad Weidel, the police chief for the area, has said it is unclear why the rabbi’s house was targeted and authorities have not provided a motive for the crime.

Additional reporting by AP