Real Estate Developer Charged with Assault After Striking Woman at Pro-Palestinian Demonstration – NY Case

The streets of New York City were filled with tension on Tuesday as a pro-Palestinian demonstration led by Columbia University students turned violent. A New York real estate developer, Reuven Kahane, found himself in the center of controversy after allegedly striking a woman with his car during the protest.

According to witnesses and the New York Police Department, Kahane, 57, was arrested and charged with felony assault for hitting a 55-year-old safety marshal for the demonstration. The woman was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and was also arrested, though charges against her and another protester were dropped the following day.

Kahane’s connection to Rabbi Meir Kahane, founder of the controversial Jewish Defense League, added another layer of complexity to the situation. Despite his familial ties, Reuven Kahane insists he has no affiliation with the group and describes his politics as “pro-peace.”

The incident occurred following a verbal dispute between protesters and Kahane, with conflicting reports on how the altercation unfolded. While police claim the vehicle moved during the confrontation, witnesses at the scene assert that the safety marshal was attempting to block the car’s path when she was struck.

The clash comes on the heels of a recent police intervention at Columbia University, where authorities forcibly removed pro-Palestinian student demonstrators from a university building. In response, the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, affiliated with the encampment, condemned the altercation as another instance of “anti-Palestinian violence from Israel to the US.”

As the legal process moves forward, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even within the streets of New York City.