Hasidic Man Wins $75K in Lawsuit Over NYPD Riot Beard Rip

The scene during the riot that sparked the lawsuit.

It's been almost four long years, but a Borough Park man has finally gotten satisfaction from the city after getting violently arrested in a riot back in April 2006. In a settlement deal, the city will pay $75,000 to Chaim Appel, 41, who claims an NYPD cop tore off parts of his beard during his arrest. Appel says he was beaten, thrown against the hood of a car, then cuffed and taken away while his 9-year-old son looked on. "It makes it easy for me to sleep at night, knowing that other people finally know the truth of what happened over there," Appel, who had originally sought $11 million, tells the Post. So what did happen?

On April 4th, 2006, police stopped 75-year-old Hasidic man Arthur Schick for talking on a cellphone while driving. When he allegedly refused to show them his ID, they tried to arrest him, and cops say he resisted. Soon other Hasids got involved, and "angry onlookers turned into hundreds of protesters, who started fires with cardboard boxes, trapped a cop in his car, yelled 'Nazi Germany' and even prevented a tractor trailer from traveling down the road." Many Hasids were arrested, two cops were injured, and there were claims that police used racial epithets such as "This is how we treat niggers" and "Get the f---ing Jews out of here."

Appel was one of the ones who got hauled in; he tells the Post, "I was just totally in the wrong place at the wrong time." The police contended that Appel tried to trip a sergeant, but the charges against him were later dropped. Getting his beard ripped off must have hurt like hell, but at least the incident gave Appel a lot of street cred in the neighborhood—everyone points him out as the guy who got "arrested during the riots." He also gets $75,000.

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By John Del Signore in News on February 10, 2010 10:16 AM

Comments [rss]

The Man Bat

Wait just a second here...they were trying to arrest a Hasidic guy!?!? Is that even legal in New York?

blink

I think they're covered under the blanket "sacred cow" jurisdiction with the rest of the jews in NYC.

Thinky Think

Its great to be one of the chosen people, you don't have to obey the rules of the general society under the law and you get money on top of it.I shall have to marry one so that right can be extended on to me.:-)

Avaz383

You are disgusting racist slime.

newport27

i think it's the other way around

Guest

And you have no sense of humor or decency. God forbid someone make fun of those who believe themsevles better than everyone on the planet. In fact, they actually pity everyone who is not Hasidic, other Jewish people included. Do you really feel the need to defend someone who views you as a lesser being?

jpeditor

"Do you really feel the need to defend someone who views you as a lesser being?"

You expose yourself as a lesser being with your posts (and it has nothing to do with being Jewish).

Stop posting BS about Jews that you copied/learned from Stormfront.

Guest

I didn't learn anything from whatever Stormfront is. That was learned firsthand from a Jewish coworker, thank you very much. So, since I never called you a name, nor was my post directed at you, I'll just assume that you are the truly lesser being and I'll see you in hell!

NannyState

He didn't sue for the missing matzo bits as well?

jpeditor

Thats it?

Next time stock up on your booze and pills before the storm.

Rocknrope

How much is that per follicle?

books

funny, this is the first I ever heard of the riot.

I had to use google to find out about another riot in boro park in 1978.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pKsSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EfkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5249,559851&dq=borough+park+riot&hl=en

FunChop

yeah, getting my beard ripped off HEARTS like hell too...

ozik

Instead of the word HEARTS you should've used a little apple, this is NYC you know.

hotstepper

"When he allegedly refused to show them his ID"

how dare they ask for compliance? those police should have known that Hasids answer to no one except ol' yahweh himself. and even then its iffy.