Driver allegedly jumped curb and targeted people outside New York Jewish school

A driver jumped a curb and tried to mow down people outside an Orthodox Jewish school in New York on Wednesday, authorities said.

The driver of a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria shouted anti-Semitic remarks as his car left the road and drove toward people on the sidewalk near East 56th Street and Glenwood Road shortly before 11:25 a.m. in Brooklyn, according to a statement from the New York City Police Department.

Surveillance video showed at least two people, wearing yarmulkes and long black clothing, running for cover and away from the oncoming car.

Ali Asghar, 58, was arrested and charged with a range of offenses, including attempted second-degree murder, considered a hate crime, officials said.

It was unclear Thursday morning whether the suspect had hired or been assigned a criminal attorney to speak on his behalf.

New York City Council member Farah Louis called the incident in her district, at the Mesivta Nachlas Yakov School, a “senseless act of bigotry and violence.”

“No group or community should live in fear of violence, discrimination or intimidation, and we must confront the growing trend of anti-Semitism to prevent such hateful acts in the future,” he said. she declared in a press release.

A representative for the school could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Wednesday's incident occurred about two weeks after a 12-year-old boy allegedly kicked and punched two Hasidic Jewish boys who were playing on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn, about 5 miles north of the scene. of the car attack, police said.

The young attacker was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and second-degree harassment as hate crimes.