North African migrant charged with hate crime after allegedly stealing pro-Israel flag, beating Long Island homeowner

David Matthews, Jager Weatherby, New York Daily News
·2 min read
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A North African migrant seeking asylum has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly stealing a pro-Israel flag from a Long Island home and then violently assaulting the homeowner, authorities said Tuesday.

The incident occurred Sunday in Hewlett when the suspect walked up to the home and ripped down a combination U.S.-Israel flag and a handmade “We stand with Israel” sign. When the homeowner, Aleks Binyaminov, chased the man and demanded them back, Binyaminov said he was punched, put into a chokehold and thrown to the ground.

The initial incident was captured on surveillance camera at Binyaminov’s house. Another camera captured footage of the two men fighting.

Nassau County Police later identified the suspect as 26-year-old Bechir Lehbeib. He is described as a North African migrant who entered the country illegally in November, according to CBS News New York. He has reportedly been staying at a shelter on Staten Island and a home in Queens while seeking asylum.

Lehbeib allegedly made multiple antisemitic and threatening remarks during the confrontation, which resulted in various injuries for Binyaminov.

“The victim reports being battered about the face repeatedly and being headbutted during the course of the altercation, all of which caused contusions, swelling and substantial pain to his head,” said First Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Smith, per ABC7NY.

Lehbeib was arrested later Sunday and charged with robbery, assault and criminal mischief — all as hate crimes — to which he pleaded not guilty. He was ordered held on $50,000 bail and had to surrender his passport.

Binyaminov — an Russian immigrant who says his wife’s cousin was killed by Hamas on Oct. 7 — told CBS News he never thought this would happen to him.

“As a Jew, we live here, all of us, happily without any problems,” he said. “It feels a little bit disgusting that this happened to us.”

Watchdog groups, including the the Anti-Defamation League and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have reported a sharp increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia since last year.