Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New Yorkblasted his hometown mayor, Eric Adams, for fining but not firing an employee accused of an act of anti-Semitic vandalism that was captured on video.
“The city and state must have a simple message for anti-Semites,” Torres tweeted Sunday evening. “You’re fired.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the moderate Democrat doubled down.
‘I would fire anyone who was involved in it acts of anti-Semitism like tearing off posters of the hostages,” Torres said. ‘I call on the mayor to do the same. The city and state must not only preach, but also practice zero tolerance of anti-Semitism.”
Congressman Ritchie Torres speaks during a press conference. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Bronx lawmaker, who has regularly criticized his party’s left wing for its soft-on-crime policies and opposition to Israel, responded to a New York Post A story earlier in the day claimed that an employee of Adams’ office, paid to promote “unity” and “bridge cultural gaps,” was caught on camera tearing up posters showing Israeli hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group had been kidnapped.
“If I were in charge of the (New York State) government or the city (New York City), anti-Semites would not have to apply,” Torres wrote. “Tearing down posters of hostages is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated.”
Mayor rejects his own party after fatal hours-long stabbing
According to a page on the city’s website, which was only visible in archived form Monday morning, the Mayor’s Office of Special Projects and Community Events “organizes, plans and executes public or private events and special projects that embrace and rejoice in the extraordinary events ”. cultural richness and reach of our city.” It listed fewer than a dozen employees, including the one allegedly in the video taking down posters.
Adams’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hamas terrorists launched a sneak attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, in what the State Department called “the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.” They also took 254 hostages that day, some of whom were later murdered.
New York Mayor Eric Adams discusses a fatal stabbing in Manhattan with NYPD brass at his side. (NYPD)
Torres has attacked New York’s Democratic leaders in recent days after suggesting he might challenge Governor Kathy Hochul.
In addition to rampant anti-Semtism and frequent anti-Israel protests in the city, he also denounced what he blamed for failed criminal justice reforms. a triple murder.
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO disturbing hostage video, slams HAMAS
The suspect in that case, Ramon Rivera, is a 51-year-old, eight-time repeat offender whose most recent prison sentence involved assaulting a corrections officer in the psychiatric ward at Bellevue Hospital.
“The bureaucrat at DOC (Department of Correction) who authorized Ramon’s early release should be fired,” Torres wrote to Adams and Hochul last week. “Those who cannot be trusted with public safety should no longer serve the people of New York.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference with Attorney General Letitia James at the governor’s office. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Adams also laid some of the blame for the stabbing at Hochul and called on Albany to give city police more power “to institutionalizing people“During a news briefing last month.
