A violent New Year's Day assault in Chicago has left authorities and community members reeling as a possible hate crime investigation unfolds. The brutal attack on a 27-year-old Jewish man at a Lake View bagel shop began as a heated discussion about religion, but quickly escalated into chaos.
According to police reports, the incident started when two men became aggressive towards the victim inside Monsignor Murphy's bar, accusing him of funding terrorism and committing genocide in Gaza. The situation rapidly deteriorated, with the attackers kicking and punching the victim before shoving him through the front glass window of The Bagel Restaurant and Deli.
Witness Britt Nerad, 22, described the scene as "out of place and unexpected" as she watched the attack unfold from a nearby restaurant. Despite seeing one of the attackers wield a shard of glass, no serious injury was inflicted on the victim, who suffered a cut to his hand. However, he appeared "pretty shaken up" after the ordeal.
Police are now investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, with Area 3 detectives leading the probe. This is not an isolated incident; anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise in Chicago, with a staggering 58% increase in reported hate crimes from 2023 to 2024.
The victim's account of the attack and witness statements paint a disturbing picture of intolerance and hatred. Nerad hopes that justice will be served, saying "If it was motivated by hate, I'd really like to see people face some punishment for that because of how serious that is in the current climate of hate in the country." As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether charges will be filed against those responsible for this senseless act of violence.
According to police reports, the incident started when two men became aggressive towards the victim inside Monsignor Murphy's bar, accusing him of funding terrorism and committing genocide in Gaza. The situation rapidly deteriorated, with the attackers kicking and punching the victim before shoving him through the front glass window of The Bagel Restaurant and Deli.
Witness Britt Nerad, 22, described the scene as "out of place and unexpected" as she watched the attack unfold from a nearby restaurant. Despite seeing one of the attackers wield a shard of glass, no serious injury was inflicted on the victim, who suffered a cut to his hand. However, he appeared "pretty shaken up" after the ordeal.
Police are now investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, with Area 3 detectives leading the probe. This is not an isolated incident; anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise in Chicago, with a staggering 58% increase in reported hate crimes from 2023 to 2024.
The victim's account of the attack and witness statements paint a disturbing picture of intolerance and hatred. Nerad hopes that justice will be served, saying "If it was motivated by hate, I'd really like to see people face some punishment for that because of how serious that is in the current climate of hate in the country." As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether charges will be filed against those responsible for this senseless act of violence.
This latest incident in Chicago highlights the alarming trend of anti-Semitic attacks, which are not only a stark reminder of the need for greater tolerance but also underscore the importance of fostering inclusive communities 
. The fact that two men became aggressive towards an innocent person simply because of his Jewish faith is deplorable and sends shivers down one's spine 
. As Britt Nerad so poignantly put it, justice must be served to ensure accountability for those who would seek to perpetuate hate crimes 
. Moreover, the rise in reported hate crimes across the country cannot be ignored or dismissed; instead, we need collective efforts to promote education, empathy, and understanding 
.
I mean, can't we all just get along? Like, literally, what's next? A random Tuesday afternoon attack because someone misread a meme and thought it was directed at them? 
Anyway, hope the victim recovers from that traumatic experience, even if the perpetrators' punishment is more like a slap on the wrist 
. And yeah, 58% increase in hate crimes? That's super reassuring to hear... NOT 
.
that's like the 3rd time this year in chicago someone gets assaulted just because they're Jewish and people are just losing their minds over politics it's not okay to take out your frustrations on someone who doesn't even agree with you let alone hurt them physically I mean can't we all just get along? 
, cant even believe this happenin on our watch!!1! its like, super sad when ppl can just go around makin hate speech and gettin physical with someone cuz they dont agree w/ them...like, whats wrong w/ us as a society? Shouldnt we all b more understanding and respectful of each other's differences?? 
i mean, im not perfect neither, but its crazy how one convo can escalate into such violence 
the police are saying its a possible hate crime and i just feel so bad for him he got cut on his hand but like that doesnt even matter compared to what happened to him 
anyone else is going to get hurt if we dont stop all this hate 
im so tired of people being intolerant and violent towards each other its literally so not cool 
anyway, police gotta do their job and make sure whoever did this faces justice, that's all i can say 
and to think it escalated into physical violence, that's just messed up... 
This incident is super disturbing and it's crazy how something that starts as a heated discussion about politics can quickly turn into something so violent. I'm glad the victim wasn't seriously hurt, but the fact that he was left shaken up is still really upsetting. 
. And 58% increase in reported hate crimes in Chicago is just crazy... it feels like we're taking two steps forward but three steps back sometimes 