NYC Jewish restaurant owner says swastikas painted over Israeli flag, other acts of antisemitism
CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- It was another busy Saturday night at Zizi on 8th Avenue, and the owners say that is pretty normal. What they say is not normal is having to enclose their Israeli flag in plastic to prevent it from being torn down - and still, people are targeting it.
They tried to break the outdoor dining shed's plastic by kicking it in December. Then, two days prior, workers caught a girl tying up the Israeli flag so it wasn't on display at Hummus Kitchen - another one of the owners' businesses.
This past Tuesday at Zizi, co-owner Maor Onono found two swastikas painted over his Israeli flag.
"I've been here for 20 years and never experienced something like this. Always felt comfortable with being Jewish, Israeli," Onono said.
On Saturday afternoon, police say several synagogues in Brooklyn and Manhattan had to be evacuated.
Governor Hochul posted to X saying,
"We are actively monitoring a number of bomb threats at synagogues in New York. Threats have been determined not to be credible, but we will not tolerate individuals sowing fear & antisemitism."
Meanwhile, New York State Senator Chuck Schumer is holding a news conference on Sunday morning to announce $400 million in new federal funding to boost security and safety at places of worship, including synagogues, mosques and churches.
WATCH | NYPD investigating bomb threats made against NYC synagogues
To see antisemitism firsthand at a local business is more than upsetting for patrons.
"Swastikas are a symbol of hate, and being Jewish and living in the area and being targeted for that is disappointing, especially in the wake of everything going on in Israel and the war over there," said Sam Zipin.
Onono says since October 7, it has gotten noticeably worse for Jewish-owned businesses in New York City, with a troubling similarity to the past.
"Europe 1933 - it started like that, it was a small group. With crazy ideas that tried to violence all the Jewish businesses and Jewish systems and they challenge it, and Holocaust after," he says.
They cleaned the graffiti and forged ahead without a change of heart.
"We came here to make business and we're happy to serve every kind of person," Onono adds.
President Biden has declared this upcoming week a Week of Observance for the victims of the Holocaust.
Unfortunately, the owners of Zizi say that also means they will have to be extra attentive to any forms of hate.
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