"Hamas will kill you": Ridiculous punishment for anti-Semite who hit Israeli in Times Square

Yahya Amin, a Queens resident, was sentenced to 90 days in prison and five years of probation after assaulting an Israeli tourist in Times Square in October 2023, days after the October 7 massacre. Amin followed a group of Jews wearing kippahs, made anti-Semitic chants, and attacked the victim from behind. The sentence was handed down nearly three years after the incident.

Yahya Amin, a 28-year-old Queens resident at the time of the attack, was sentenced to just 90 days in prison and five years of probation for assaulting a 23-year-old Israeli tourist in Times Square on October 18, 2023, 11 days after the October 7 massacre. According to the indictment, Amin spotted the victim and four of his friends, all wearing kippahs, as they passed through Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street, and began following them for over ten minutes while playing "Hamas music" from a Bluetooth speaker and making anti-Semitic chants, including "Hamas should kill more of you" and "All Jews should die." After the group tried to flee toward a subway station, Amin ran from behind and struck the Israeli on the back of the head, causing redness, swelling, and significant pain. Amin fled but was caught after a chase. He pleaded guilty in March 2026 to assault as a hate crime. The sentence, handed down in the Manhattan Supreme Court, drew criticism for its relative leniency. During the hearing, Amin smiled and made a "V" sign at photographers, and when asked why, replied that he wanted to "look good for the cameras."