New York City police broke up another huge Orthodox Jewish funeral in Brooklyn Thursday, the Forward reports. The gathering reportedly grew too large after onlookers stopped to watch one family recite mourning prayers while a casket was removed from their home. New York’s shelter-in-place order prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people. Police issued dozens of summons as they broke up the crowd, including one to a 17-year-old boy who “was issued a summons for pushing a police official,” according to an NYPD spokesperson. In a statement, Sergeant Jessica McRorie said the NYPD was present “to ensure social distancing rules were being followed.” Mayor Bill de Blasio ranted against a similar funeral procession Tuesday that drew more than 1,000 people, and he angrily tweeted a “message to the Jewish community” that the NYPD would arrest anyone at a future large event. The Anti-Defamation League and other Jewish leaders condemned his remarks. The new coronavirus has hit the Hasidic community in New York hard, in part because of a continuation of large gatherings. Tuesday’s funeral was for a rabbi who reportedly died of coronavirus complications.
