Antisemitism & Hate Crimes: Global Rise in Incidents

Surfside police in Florida have arrested Jordan Steven Prozo, 35, on charges of aggravated assault in what authorities are treating as a hate crime. According to police reports, Prozo allegedly attacked a Jewish couple visiting from New York while they walked along Harding Avenue, hurling antisemitic slurs and threatening to kill them before striking the husband in the head.

The incident occurred last Sunday evening around 9:15 p.m. in the town of Surfside. According to the arrest report, the couple, identified as Abraham and Sophia, were walking when Prozo approached them riding an electric scooter. A verbal confrontation ensued, during which the suspect allegedly began shouting severe curses and slurs directed at the Jewish community.

Police documents indicate the confrontation quickly escalated to physical violence. Prozo allegedly lunged at the husband and struck him forcefully on the side of his head while shouting, "You're going to die now" and "Get away before I kill you." The suspect also reportedly called the couple "evil demons" and made hostile statements related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The victim's wife managed to record part of the incident on her mobile phone and later spoke with CBS News Miami about the barrage of hateful language directed at them. She said the suspect also attempted to advance toward her in a threatening manner, but an elderly passerby who witnessed the scene shouted at him in Spanish to stop, which ended the attack.

On Wednesday, officers located Prozo and arrested him at his workplace, a local restaurant near the scene of the assault. He now faces charges including aggravated assault based on religious or ethnic bias, along with harassment and intimidation motivated by hate.

Acting Surfside Police Chief Jay Matlis emphasized that law enforcement will show zero tolerance for antisemitism and hate crimes in the town, stating that anyone committing such acts will be prosecuted. The couple thanked police for their swift response and said the traumatic incident would not deter them from continuing to visit South Florida in the future.

A background check revealed this is not Prozo's first encounter with law enforcement. Just last June, he was arrested in Miami Beach on suspicion of vandalizing public property after allegedly cutting and destroying a giant inflatable FIFA soccer display that had been installed as part of preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Rising Wave of Antisemitism Worldwide

The Florida incident joins a series of antisemitic cases documented in recent months around the world. In Argentina, a federal judge was recently removed from office following the publication of antisemitic posts on X, in which he called Jews "rats" and "vipers"—marking the first time in the country's history that such severe action has been taken against a sitting judge for antisemitic conduct.

In France, a haredi Jewish man was recorded being verbally attacked by a vendor at a ski resort who told him, "There are too many of you, it annoys people." French police opened a criminal investigation after the video went viral, and the woman admitted during questioning that she made the statements.

On the other hand, there are also encouraging instances of standing against antisemitism. In Sweden, Education Minister Simona Mohamsson, who is of Palestinian descent, wore a Star of David on television as a protest against antisemitism and subsequently faced a wave of hateful responses online. "I wear the Star of David for the children in Sweden who don't dare to do so," Mohamsson explained.