An anti-Israel protester who demanded that “Zionists” put their hands up on a crowded New York subway car turned himself in on Wednesday after being searched.
Anas Saleh turned himself in after being released by police early Wednesday morning. Wanted Poster His face is emblazoned all over the picture following the hateful subway attack at Manhattan’s Union Square station.
He was charged with extortion, according to officials.
Police said the incident began on June 10 when Saleh stormed onto a southbound No. 5 train at Union Square and began yelling, “If you’re a Zionist, put your hands up, repeat my words, now’s your chance to get out.”
The incident took place on the same night that a crowd of anti-Israel protesters descended on a downtown Manhattan exhibition center to commemorate music festival attendees massacred and kidnapped by Hamas in an Oct. 7 terror attack.
Protesters later gathered in Union Square Park, waving banners emblazoned with graffiti reading “Long live October 7th” and one protester chanting that he wished “Hitler were still here” so he could “exterminate” the Jews.
“Harassment and coercion are crimes, and we are grateful that the NYPD is taking action to hold this perpetrator accountable,” Liora Rez, executive director of Stop Anti-Semitism, said in a statement after Saleh was identified.
“It will now be the District Attorney’s responsibility to ensure that this anti-Semite is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and all New Yorkers expect that to happen, with the vocal and visible support of Mayor Eric Adams and all of the fully sworn officials of the City of New York.”
“The public anti-Semitism we see on New York City’s subways and streets doesn’t just affect Jewish people. Anti-Semitism degrades the lives of all Americans here in New York and runs counter to our values as a nation,” she added.
