Haredi Orthodox man allegedly attacked for being Jewish in Antwerp

Police in Belgium apprehended and briefly detained a man who allegedly assaulted a Haredi Orthodox man on the street in Antwerp while shouting “Jew.”

The incident happened Friday evening on a central street in the capital of the Flemish Region, the alleged victim, who spoke to JTA on condition of anonymity, says Monday.

The alleged attacker approached the man smiling and in a relaxed manner that left the alleged victim not expecting an assault, he says. “Then he hit me on the chin, said ‘Jew’ and just walked away,” the alleged victim says.

The Jewish man says he filed a complaint with police that night, but would not sign it, citing a religious prohibition on writing on Shabbat. He tells JTA he intends to press charges and sign the deposition in the coming days. Reports that he had been injured in the altercation were exaggerated, he says.

The alleged victim followed the attacker as he walked away and shouted that he had been assaulted. Jewish men living in the area joined the alleged victim and forcibly detained the alleged attacker until army soldiers, guarding the area due to the presence of several Jewish institutions, arrived. They called police, who arrested the man on suspicion of assault.

— JTA