(June 18, 2026 \/ JNS)\n <\/p>\n
A coalition of anti-Israel activist groups in New York is set to host a fundraiser for two convicted men and a third awaiting trial in cases tied to anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incidents, including the vandalism of a Pittsburgh Chabad center.<\/p>\n
The event, titled \u201cRepression Breeds Resistance,\u201d is scheduled for Friday at Widdi Catering Hall in Brooklyn. Organizers say it will raise money for Jakhi McCray, Tarek Bazrouk and Mohamad Hamad.<\/p>\n
More than two dozen groups are sponsoring the event, including PAL-Awda and CUNY for Palestine.<\/p>\n
Jayne Zirkle, communications director for EndJewHatred, told JNS that the participation of campus-affiliated groups such as CUNY for Palestine \u201copenly encouraging and providing support for terrorism and extremist ideologies, including radical Islamist agendas, represents a serious challenge that universities can no longer ignore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zirkle noted that these organizations have crossed the line from political expression into promoting and justifying violence, and that universities should hold participating campus groups accountable.<\/p>\n
\u201cUniversities are creating an environment where Jew-hatred and extremism can take root,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
McCray, a Brooklyn activist, pleaded guilty<\/a> in April to federal arson charges after admitting that he set fire<\/a> to 10 New York City Police Department vehicles and a trailer in a secured police lot in Brooklyn in June 2025, causing an estimated $800,000 in damage. Prosecutors said the attack strained police resources ahead of planned anti-Israel demonstrations. McCray, who blamed his indictment on state \u201crepression\u201d of the anti-Israel movement, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.<\/p>\n