Over a hundred protestors gathered outside the French Consulate in Manhattan, including Dov Hikind,
Founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, former New York governor David Paterson, current New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa and Rabbi Zev Friedman with students from Rabmam Mesivta, to hold a candlelight vigil for Sarah Halimi and protest what they defined as “the grave injustice committed against her by the French courts that have allowed her killer to go free on the flimsy defense of “temporary insanity by marijuana.”
“It should be made clear that the effort to secure justice on behalf of the Halimi family is far from over with protests now sprouting up in places between Los Angeles and Paris in the coming week”, Dov Hikind said, “We will not put this issue to rest until Sarah Halimi’s murderer is put in prison where he belongs, locked away from society lest he have another “psychotic episode” after getting high”.
“In our protest yesterday, we didn’t get violent, we didn’t threaten anyone, all we did was send a loud message directly to the French government that Jewish blood isn’t cheap, that the grave injustice doubly committed to Sarah Halimi is totally unacceptable, and that France better fix it before it suffers the consequences of Jewish flight to safer havens,” Hikind added. “If this judgment is allowed to stand, then murder has become legal in France so long as a murderer gets high on marijuana first and their victim is Jewish.”
After several hours of protest and an attempt to enter the consulate was made, NYPD officers were able to arrange for a French representative to take a letter from Americans Against Antisemitism.
The following is the full letter which was addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron:
As we stand outside the French consulate in New York City, we are expressing our utter shock and disgust with the brutal travesty, the murder of our mother, sister, grandmother Sarah Halimi, of blessed memory.
She was murdered in a most brutal way by a Muslim man, Kobili Traoré, who was yelling “Allah Akbar” as he committed his vile crime. The murderer admitted that when he saw the Torah and menorah in her apartment he was triggered into brutalizing her even more.
We are seeking your commitment that he will never be able to walk the streets of France freely. Justice must prevail for the people of France and the Jewish people. The Jews of France cannot remain in France when their lives are valued less than dogs.
As the leader of France, we respect you and the world is watching to see if the French will do the right thing.
Sincerely,
Dov Hikind,
Founder, Americans Against Antisemitism