Adam Yosef Zeidieh

Overview

Adam Yosef Zeidieh attempted to breach a police barricade and joined in anti-Israel chanting during a violent anti-Israel counterprotest on May 20, 2021. Zeidieh also honored a violent rioter charged with a hate crime for attacking a Jew.

As of May 2023, Zeidieh used the handle “@__adamzeidieh” on Instagram. As of September 2022, Zeidieh used the handle “@__adam_ny” on Instagram.

Zeidieh indicated on his Facebook that he graduated from LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC) in 2020.

Also as of September 2022, Zeidieh’s Facebook indicated that he was located in New York, NY.

As of February 14, 2023, Zeidieh was licensed (license number 2109628-DCA) as a Process Server in the State of New York, but was threatened with suspension, due to “Failure to Comply With” an unspecified “order” of the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs.

May 20, 2021 - Violent Times Square Counterprotest

Zeidieh participated [00:02:45] in a violent counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. He could be seen [00:02:45] in FreedomNews TV video of the event, in the middle of the screen, pumping his fist as he joined other anti-Israel activists calling for the redemption of the Al-Aqsa Mosque “with spirit and blood,” in Arabic.

Zeidieh also appeared [00:02:52] on the right side of the screen, wearing a white tee shirt, with a jacket around his neck and making the V-for-Victory sign.

Attempting to Breach a Police Barricade

During the protest, Zeidieh joined others who were attempting [00:01:50] to breach a police barricade erected to separate the Palestinian side from the Israeli one. He could be seen [00:01:50] in FreedomNews TV video on the right side of the screen, wearing a white tee shirt, next to an activist that wore a blue medical mask.

At the rally, anti-Israel activists pushed against a police barricade erected to separate the two sides. They breached the barricade and then the anti-Israel activists marched [00:35:36] toward the pro-Israel side where many verbally assaulted pro-Israel activists. Some of the anti-Israel activists approached the pro-Israel activists and stole their Israeli flags.

The anti-Israel activists then moved back to their side of the barricade where they chanted at the pro-Israel side [00:40:45]: “Nazis! Nazis!”

After demonstrators threw projectiles, police removed the barricade and proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists. Police declared that the “assembly is unlawful” and demanded the crowd disperse or be arrested. Despite police warnings, some rioters reportedly continued to throw projectiles at police while others fled the scene.

Police proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists while others fled the scene.

Anti-Israel Chanting

Zeidieh also chanted [00:02:44]: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsa!” He could be seen [00:02:44] wearing a white tee shirt, with a jacket around his neck.

The chant: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsaبروح ودم نفديك يااقصى [With spirit, with blood, we will redeem you, Aqsa]” can be heard [00:01:14] at anti-Israel rallies [00:02:19] in America. Yasser Arafat popularized the chant [00:00:23], which is invoked by anti-Israel protesters regarding a variety of causes.

The allegation that Jews “threaten” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been a pretext for Arab attacks on Jews long before the existence of the modern Jewish state. Such propaganda has led to multiple periods of violence against Israeli civilians.

Police used bicycles to disperse the rioters and pursue a number of them. Some rioters overturned police barricades to create obstacles in the street. Others threw garbage bags filled with trash onto the street while others dragged traffic barriers onto the street and overturned fencing.

On May 21, 2021, Within Our Lifetime (WOL), an anti-Israel activist group in New York City, posted two Instagram posts that portrayed the rioters as victims and offered legal support and advice to anyone arrested.

WOL was formerly known, until February 2018, as the New York branch of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), New York City SJP (NYC SJP). WOL’s “Points of Unity” states: “We defend the right of Palestinians as colonized people to resist the zionist occupation by any means necessary.”

May 23, 2021 - Honoring a Violent Rioter Charged With a Hate Crime

On May 23, 2021, Zeidieh celebrated the temporary release from police custody of Waseem Awawdeh, who had beaten a pro-Israel Jewish activist three days earlier. Zeidieh wrote: “The king is f**king back @pali_waseem” in response to footage shared on Instagram by WOL activist Saadah Masoud with other anti-Israel activists who attended the May 20, 2021 counterprotest.

Awawdeh was charged with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime. Awawdeh was paraded on the shoulders of Mohammed Othman, another counterprotester that was also wanted by the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Awawdeh beat Joseph Borgen with a pair of crutches. He was part of a mob of anti-Israel activists who had attacked and reportedly yelled anti-Semitic slurs at Borgen, who was headed to the pro-Israel rally in Times Square on May 20, 2021.

Borgen was beaten to the ground, kicked and punched. Once on the ground, Awawdeh attacked Borgen with crutches and he was also stomped on and pepper-sprayed.