Video: NYPD Chases Hearse Through Borough Park During Crowded Hasidic Funeral

[brooklynite]

Gothamist

A Hasidic funeral in Borough Park erupted in chaos on Thursday afternoon, as NYPD efforts to break up the crowded procession were met with defiance from some mourners, leading to at least one arrest.

Video shared with Gothamist shows NYPD officers sprinting after a minivan — believed to be carrying the body of Rabbi Yehezkel Shraga Vagshal — as hundreds of Orthodox Jews packed the streets of 13th Avenue. Witnesses said that police handcuffed a young boy, and threatened others with summonses for violating social distancing orders and not wearing masks.

A spokesperson for the NYPD, Lieutenant John Grimpel, confirmed that one person was arrested, but could not provide any other details.

The incident comes just two days after Mayor Bill de Blasio personally dispersed a large funeral procession in Williamsburg. “The next gathering will be met with summonses and arrests, period," the mayor said on Wednesday. "If you have a large gathering — hundreds of people, thousands of people — we’re not even going to have a warning."

[luvallpeeps]

1. I wish they'd disperse the bully protesters in Michigan!

They didn't follow the rules, had guns, and even dragged kids through it. I swear to God this shit is crazy. I feel for these people though, because they are trying to bury their dead. This is all so nightmarish.

[brooklynite]

2. I don't feel for these people at all

They're welcome to bury their dead; they're not welcome to hold a mass service putting themselves and police at risk. FWIW the Hasids in Williamsburg have a long history of ignoring any civil rules they find inconvenient.

[luvallpeeps]

4. I still have a soft spot for the women and kids.

It's almost like they have sort of enslaved themselves to these rules. It was bad enough that 6 million were killed, now at the behest of some holy man, the women are expected to have a ton of kids. But I do agree that they're not exempt from the law, and it's there to protect everyone.

[luvallpeeps]

3. Anyone watch Unorthodox on Netflix?

It was really good. I got so fascinated by these people I ended up on youtube, and I found this funeral for one of their Rebbes. Anyways, this song in this video starts at around the 00:32 mark. I just got so haunted by this for some reason. It is such a beautiful song. I think it means something like "comfort my people". Check it out~~[link:http://

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