Salem Seleiman, 30, was sentenced to two years in state prison for participating in the assault of a 29-year-old Jewish man in Times Square in May 2021 by the New York State Supreme Court on Thursday.
Seleiman pleaded guilty to one count each of Assault in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime on September 29, 2025.
“Salem Seleiman took part in the repugnant and bias-motivated assault of a Jewish man who was peacefully attending a rally,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.
“The victim was targeted based on his religion and did nothing to warrant physical violence. In recent years, we have seen increased threats and violence against Jewish New Yorkers, and we want the community to know that our Hate Crimes Unit takes these matters extremely seriously.”
Seleiman is the sixth defendant to be sentenced for the 2021 attack. The five other defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced.
Jewish man attacked in Times Square group assault
While attending a pro-Palestinian rally, Seleiman and the others saw a man wearing a yarmulke. Identifying him as Jewish, they threw the victim to the ground, punched him, struck him with a crutch, pepper-sprayed him, and kicked him, according to Bragg’s office.
During the assault, the victim was taunted with antisemitic remarks, including “filthy Jew,” “dirty Jew,” and “f***Israel.”
Surveillance footage showed Seleiman encouraging people to flee the scene after an onlooker broke up the attack, according to the office.
The 29-year-old Jewish man was attacked a short time after the demonstrations and was taken to a hospital where he was in stable condition, NYPD spokeswoman Sergeant Jessica McRorie said at the time.