Amid an ongoing Middle East war between Israel and Hamas, New York City police have launched an investigation into a recent incident at a high school in Queens dealing with hundreds of “radicalized” students who rioted upon learning that a Jewish teacher attended a pro-Israel rally.
The riots began to get out of control, leading a Jewish teacher to be locked in an office for nearly two hours, as reported by the Post Millennial.
Popular account on X, formerly Twitter, Libs of TikTok explained what happened at Hillcrest High School: “Teacher forced to hide in a locked room while a mod of students riot after they learned she attended a pro-Israel rally. This happened at a high school in Queens, NY.”
Teacher forced to hide in a locked room while a mob of students riot after they learned she attended a pro-Israel rally. This happened at a high school in Queens, NY. pic.twitter.com/BtGrQoup0S
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 26, 2023
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) also spoke out against the riots at the school, writing on X, “The vile show of antisemitism at Hillcrest High School was motivated by ignorance-fueled hatred, plain and simple, and it will not be tolerated in any of our schools, let alone anywhere else in our city. We are better than this.”
“NYC Schools is already conducting a full investigation into how this incident took place,” the mayor continued, “and, this week, Project Pivot teams will begin outreach with students at Hillcrest to ensure they understand why this behavior was unacceptable.”
The vile show of antisemitism at Hillcrest High School was motivated by ignorance-fueled hatred, plain and simple, and it will not be tolerated in any of our schools, let alone anywhere else in our city.
We are better than this. https://t.co/y0sVuntwGo
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) November 26, 2023
The New York Post reported that the riots had been planned by anti-Israel students who saw the Jewish teacher’s Facebook profile photo, which showed her at a rally supporting Israel on Oct. 9, 2023. The photo showed the teacher holding a sign that read, “I stand with Israel.”
One of the school’s seniors told the New York Post that upon seeing the teacher’s pro-Israel beliefs, a group chat was started by fellow students to orchestrate a riot.
The senior’s testimony allowed the school to barricade the teacher in an office just in time.
“I have been a teacher for 23 years in the New York City public school system, for the last seven at Hillcrest High School.” The teacher said. “I have worked hard to be supportive of our entire student body and an advocate for our community, and was shaken to my core by the calls to violence against me that occurred online and outside my classroom last week.”
