Crown Heights riots
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The Crown Heights riots or Crown Heights pogrom happened on August 19 – August 22 1991 in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York.
The riots, also named as a pogrom by some Jews, began on August 19 when a Lubavitch Hasidic Jewish motorist struck and killed Gavin Cato, a seven-year-old African American boy. The motorist was part of a motorcade accompanying the last rebbe of Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson from a visit to the grave–side and site of his father–in-law and previous rebbe Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn. Allegations of speeding are mired in confusion; speed estimates given by witnesses range from 25 mph to 65 mph [1] (http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/presspol/Research_Publications/Papers/Research_Papers/R16.pdf). Moreover, violent and riotous sentiments among the witnesses diminish the credibility of testimony.
An angry mob of African American and local youths began assaulting Jews in the neighborhood, the population of which was about evenly divided between blacks and mostly Lubavitcher Hasidic Jews; in one such attack, Yankel Rosenbaum, a 29–year–old rabbinical student visiting from Australia, was stabbed to death, and an undetermined number of Jews were seriously injured as the assaults continued for four consecutive nights. A non–Jewish motorist who had apparently gotten lost in the neighborhood, Anthony Graziosi, was also fatally attacked, presumably because he had a full beard and was wearing dark clothing and was thus mistaken for a Hasidic Jew. Fires were set and shops were looted as the riot grew out of control and as the mob's rage continued.
Then mayor David Dinkins was criticized for his poor handling of the events and lost many votes as a result of this when he ran for, and lost, the race to continue as New York City's mayor.
Yankel Rosenbaum was able to identify his assailants before he died and several men were arrested and eventually tried for the stabbing. Professor Norman Rosenbaum, Yankel Rosenbaum's brother from Australia, continued to pursue the legal case over the years and received the support of New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and most of the New York media.
The Orthodox Union (a non–Hasidic Orthodox organization) had this to say about Giuliani's efforts:
- "The legal action that was pursued by victims of the Crown Heights riots of 1991 sought nothing more than justice and compensation for the victims who suffered injury and damage during those riots. By settling this legal action on behalf of the City with an apology for its failure to adequately protect the Jews of Crown Heights from the rioters and monetary compensation toward the injuries sustained by the victims, Mayor Giuliani is properly discharging the highest responsibilities of the mayoralty. By taking these steps, Mr. Giuliani has clearly demonstrated this City's commitment to providing equal protection and justice for all of New York's communities." Full statement (http://www.ou.org/public/statements/crownheights.htm)
External links
- Harvard Research Publication on the Crown Heights Riot and its background (http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/presspol/Research_Publications/Papers/Research_Papers/R16.pdf)
- The Crown Heights Riot and Its Aftermath. Article (http://www.ex-iwp.org/docs/1993/Crown%20Heights%20Riot%20Aftermath.htm)
- Three Days of Riots Forgotten: Political Will in Short Supply (http://www.jlaw.com/Commentary/3dayriot.html)
- Crown Heights Riot Suspect Sentenced (http://www.blacknewsweekly.com/bin110.html)
- In Crown Heights, a Decade of Healing After Riots, but Scars Remain (http://www.racematters.org/crownheightsscars.htm)