An Upper West Side school crossing guard was fired after being accused of spewing anti-Semitic bile at parents and their children, according to The Post. The guard in question was assigned to the corner of West 79th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. She was fired on February 4 after numerous complaints from community leaders.
A neighborhood parent, Rabbi Erica Gerson noted that the guard hurled 'Jew hatred' against her and her 9-year-old daughter while they crossed the street on January 12. "It was completely unprovoked," Gerson said. NYPD Sgt. Edward Riley noted that an investigation into the incident is going on.
Gerson stated that she heard the guard pointing and saying 'those Jewish kids' before going on a rant against a nearby Kosher restaurant, Saba's Pizza. She allegedly called the food there 'sh**y.'
'Push your Jewish kids into the street and get hit by a bus'
A mother of four, Gerson, 43, further noted that when she looked at the guard, she became even more offensive calling her and her daughter 'nasty.' "Now we know why there's no peace in the Middle East," the guard allegedly said.
Gerson also added that she witnessed the guard spewing hate towards another woman too, telling her to 'push your Jewish kids into the street and get hit by a bus.' That parent confirmed filing a 'hate crime' report about the February 2 incident.
The president of the West 79th Street Block Association, Dale Brown noted that parents filed a harassment complaint against the crossing guard at the 20th Precinct stationhouse. The case is being investigated by the Hate Crimes Task Force.
NYPD does not tolerate discrimination in any form
Brown noted that a parent informed them about the guard's anti-Semitic remarks on January 13, following which Brown and NYPD Capt. Neil Zuber, the commanding officer of the 20th Precinct decided that the guard should be removed from her post. The identity of the crossing guard was not released.
NYPD spokesman Riley said in a statement that the department does 'not tolerate discrimination in any form, particularly if it is rooted in hate speech or a bias against individuals.' The case remains under active investigation.
