FACT CHECK: Viral Instagram Post Falsely Claims Pro-Hamas Mob Smashed Windows Of Kosher New York Restaurant
A viral post shared on Instagram claims a pro-Hamas mob purportedly smashed the window of The Original Pita Grill, a kosher restaurant in New York City.
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Verdict: False
A spokesperson for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information at the New York Police Department (NYPD) told Check Your Fact the suspect is unknown and an investigation is underway.
Fact Check:
Sponsors of pro-Hamas protests have reportedly received $9 million in New York City taxpayer funds since 2010, according to the New York Post. Among those who received funds are the Arab American Association of New York and the Muslim American Society of New York, the outlet reported.
The Instagram post, which has received over 3,000 likes, claims a pro-Hamas mob purportedly smashed the window of The Original Pita Grill, a kosher restaurant in New York City. “The pro-Hamas mob smashed the window of a New York kosher restaurant. Because, you know, terrorizing Jews in America will #FreePalestine,” the text of the post reads. The post is a screenshot of a Nov. 26 tweet. (RELATED: Viral X Video Does Not Show 150 Palestinian Terrorists Released In Exchange For Israeli Hostages)
The claim is false, however. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting a pro-Hamas mob was responsible for the incident. Likewise, the NYPD also has not labeled a pro-Hamas mob as having perpetrated the act on its website or verified social media accounts. In addition, the Original Pita Grill did not mention the incident being linked to a pro-Hamas mob in a Dec. 1 Instagram story mentioning the vandalism, according to USA Today.
A spokesperson for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information at the NYPD told Check Your Fact the suspect is unknown and an investigation is underway.
“The report on file is for burglary. An unknown suspect entered the location by breaking the front door window glass and removed two bicycles from the location. There are no arrests at this time and the investigation is ongoing,” the spokesperson said in an email.
Although the identity of the suspect who smashed the Original Pita Grill’s window is currently unknown, New Yorkers have rallied around the eatery, with some residents fearing the incident was a hate crime, according to a Nov. 27 article from AMNY. The outlet reiterated that authorities do not believe the restaurant was targeted in relation to the current Israel-Hamas conflict.
