Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the sentencing of SALEM SELEIMAN, 30, to 2 years in state prison for attacking a 29-year-old Jewish man in Times Square in May 2021. SELEIMAN pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to one count each of Assault in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime on September 29, 2025. He was sentenced on December 4, 2025.

SELEIMAN is the sixth defendant to be sentenced for the 2021 attack. The five other defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, including three who the Office announced state prison sentences for in January 2024.

“Salem Seleiman took part in the repugnant and bias-motivated assault of a Jewish man who was peacefully attending a rally,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The victim was targeted based on his religion and did nothing to warrant physical violence. In recent years, we have seen increased threats and violence against Jewish New Yorkers, and we want the community to know that our Hate Crimes Unit takes these matters extremely seriously. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, I urge you to call 911 or report it to our Hate Crimes Unit at 212-335-3100.”  

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, on May 20, 2021, a Pro-Israel rally and a counter Pro-Palestine rally occurred in Times Square. At approximately 7:00 p.m., SELEIMAN, who attended the Pro-Palestine rally, encountered the victim, who was wearing a yarmulke.   

The victim was thrown to the ground, punched, struck with a crutch, pepper-sprayed and kicked by the separately charged defendants. During the assault, the victim was taunted with antisemitic remarks including, “filthy Jew,” “dirty Jew” and “f— Israel.”

After Good Samaritans attempted to intervene and protect the victim, surveillance footage captured SELEIMAN allegedly urging onlookers to leave the scene. As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, and also visible on surveillance footage, SELEIMAN kicked the victim due to his perception about the victim’s identity.

SELEIMAN was arrested in Florida on a warrant for this case in May before being extradited to Manhattan.

 

Hate Crimes Unit

In 2022, under D.A. Bragg, the D.A. Office’s Hate Crimes Unit (“HCU”) was expanded with $1.7 million in funding from the New York City Council. With that investment, the D.A.’s Office has been investigating and prosecuting more hate crimes than ever before. The Office currently has 14 cross-designated prosecutors, as well as two supervisors, and five senior investigative analysts. In response to the community’s needs, the Unit is supported by specially trained staff across multiple areas of the Office to enhance investigations, expand community outreach, strengthen victim support services, and increase cultural and linguistic competencies. These additional staff members include the Community Partnerships Unit’s Deputy Director for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, victim services counselors, advocates and investigators fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin, and an LGBTQIA+ victim services advocate.

In 2024, the Office worked with legislators, the governor, and a diverse coalition of advocates to pass The Hate Crimes Modernization Act, co-sponsored by state legislators, which added 23 offenses to the eligibility list so they can now be charged as hate crimes, including Falsely Reporting an Incident, Sexual Abuse and Gang Assault. 

Recent prosecutions include:

• The prison sentence of a man to 2-to-4 years in state prison for threatening an Asian man with a pair of scissors in Chinatown after making anti-Asian remarks.
• The indictment of a woman for allegedly attacking a woman onboard a subway while making antisemitic remarks.
• The prison sentence of a man to 25 years in state prison for stabbing a transgender woman on Randall’s Island after calling her an anti-gay slur.

Assistant D.A. Constantine Coritsidis (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit) handled the prosecution of this case with the assistance of Assistant D.A. Jonathon Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit), under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit) and Executive D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Major Case Analyst Julie Lim provided valuable assistance. Former Hate Crimes Investigative Analysts Caitie Kang and Zoe Fleishaker also provided valuable assistance.

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detective Alfred Genao of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.

Defendant Information:

SALEM SELEIMAN

Tampa, FL

Convicted:

• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime, a class E felony, one count

Sentenced:

• 2 years in state prison

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