NY Self Proclaimed 'Jew Hater' Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes

A 20-year-old Columbia University protester who declared himself a “Jew hater” and expressed support for Hamas has pleaded guilty to three federal hate crimes involving violent assaults on Jewish individuals during anti-Israel demonstrations in Manhattan.

Tarek Bazrouk, of Queens, admitted in federal court to targeting and attacking three Jewish victims between April 2024 and January 2025 in separate incidents near the New York Stock Exchange, on the Upper West Side, and outside Columbia’s campus.

Among the most high-profile attacks was a violent assault on Columbia student Jonathan Lederer, whose brother was holding an Israeli flag when Bazrouk allegedly tore it away and punched Lederer in the face. Witnesses say Bazrouk shouted Nazi slogans during the assault and accused Lederer, whose family lost relatives in the Holocaust, of being a “baby killer” for supporting Israel.

“I told them I support a two-state solution,” Lederer later said. “I want peace on both sides. But they didn’t want to hear it.”

Court Records Detail Violent Ideology

Prosecutors revealed disturbing evidence of Bazrouk’s deep-seated antisemitism. In private messages, he described Jews as “worthless,” labeled himself a “Jew hater,” and encouraged violence, once urging a friend to “slap that b***h” upon seeing an Israeli flag sticker on a woman’s laptop.

The FBI recovered a cache of weapons and cash from Bazrouk’s residence, including knives, brass knuckles, a replica firearm, and over $750,000 in cash. Investigators also found images of Bazrouk firing AR-15 rifles at shooting ranges in New York and New Jersey.

Authorities say Bazrouk was active in online chat groups that shared updates from Abu Obeda, spokesperson for Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades, though his lawyers have denied any formal affiliation with terrorist organizations.

In one message, Bazrouk wrote that he would “boom boom boom the next Jew” he encountered.

No Apology to Victims

In a striking moment during his guilty plea, Bazrouk offered no apology to the Jewish victims he assaulted. Instead, he expressed remorse to “my family and my community,” saying, “I am Palestinian and I participated in the protest to display my outrage.”

Bazrouk faces a maximum of five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and potential restitution to his victims. He is also facing two additional state-level assault charges related to separate incidents in December 2024 and January 2025.

A Wake-Up Call

This is exactly why there are rising concerns about radicalized campus activism. Civil rights advocates warn that unchecked hate speech and glorification of extremist ideologies are increasingly manifesting as real-world attacks.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025.