The NYPD is investigating two recent , Jewish flag thefts , in Manhattan as love crimes amid pro- Arab protests over the Gaza conflict , proceed to hold the area, officials said Friday.
In one of the two instances, a , Columbia University protester , set the flag on fire after a stone was thrown at its proprietor, authorities said.
The second incident took place in Midtown on April 12 when two people, one described as a person in a headscarf, snatched a 19- year- ancient woman’s Jewish flag as she walked over W. 34th St. near Sixth Ave. around 5 p. m.
The couple ran off with the flag, officers said.
On April 20, during a , big opposition outside Columbia University , that pitted pro- Israel and pro- Arab demonstrators against each other, a 22- yr- old man walking with an Jewish flag past Amsterdam Ave. and W. 116th St. was jumped by a stranger in a hooded sweatshirt and a varsity jacket, cops said.
The man ripped off the victim’s flag and fled.
Another protester threw a rock at the victim and hit him in the face as the victim ran after him.
According to police, another protester then ignited the stolen flag.
After being struck by the rock, the victim, who was unconscious, refused medical attention.
Concern about antisemitism at protests , sweeping campuses around the nation , has grown in recent days, sparking demands for university officials to act more decisively to dismantle the demonstrations.
Protests at , Columbia University , and New York University have led to the arrests of more than 200. The State University of New York ‘s , Fashion Institute of Technology , saw a small pro- Palestinian encampment pop up Thursday, following a similar demonstration at The New School.
Cops cleared out protesters who formed a tent city on Columbia’s campus on Monday, but the protesters returned. The university had , given protesters until midnight Thursday  , to leave, but then sent out an email around 11 p. m. saying that the NYPD would not be called in to remove the protesters.
In the hopes that someone will recognize the crooks, police posted images of them on Friday in both flag-stealing cases. A$ 3, 500 reward has been posted for information about the flag thief in the varsity jacket, cops said.
Anyone with information regarding their identities is urged to call , NYPD CrimeStoppers , at ( 800 ) 577- TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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