Ahmad Othman
Overview
Ahmad Othman physically assaulted pro-Israel protesters multiple times and participated in a brawl during a violent protest on May 20, 2021. He has also demonized Israel on Facebook.As of October 2022, Othman indicated on Facebook that he was located in Staten Island, New York.
Also as of October 2022, Othman went by the name “Richard Jefferson” on Facebook.
As of January 2023, Othman was listed on the 2017-2018 football team roster of Alfred State College in New York (Alfred State), pursuing a major in “Biological Sciences” at Alfred State.
For more information, see the Canary Mission page Within Our Lifetime: The NYC Org Inciting Its Activists To Violence.
May 20, 2021 - Violent Times Square Counterprotest
Othman physically assaulted [00:02:24] pro-Israel protesters multiple times [00:00:13] and participated [00:02:04] in a violent brawl during a counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Time Square.Othman could be seen [00:00:13] in a New York Post video on YouTube, at the center of the screen wearing a red baseball cap. He also wore a red short-sleeved T-shirt with a dark gray, sleeveless thermal vest, grey-green pants, red running shoes and a black and white keffiyeh tied around his neck as a scarf.
Punching a Pro-Israel Protester From Behind
During the counterprotest, Othman punched [00:02:23] a pro-Israel protester in the side of the head. Othman attacked his victim from behind after joining a mob of anti-Israel activists that had already physically assaulted the same protester. The mob included anti-Israel agitators Youssef Mohamed and Rohaan Gill.Newsweek published a photo on May 21, 2021, that showed the moment Othman punched the pro-Israel demonstrator. Othman could also be seen [00:00:52] in a YouTube video that captured the same moment from a slightly different angle.
Kicking the Head of a Protester
During a violent brawl, Othman kicked [00:00:34] the head of a protester who was knocked to the ground.Othman could also be seen [00:01:10] in another YouTube video, published on May 21, 2021, which captured the same brawl from a different angle.
Othman, alongside other anti-Israel activists, surrounded the man whose flag was snatched and threatened [00:00:13] to attack the man if he proceeded to recover his flag. Othman then punched [00:00:15] the man. Police officers approached [00:00:23] Othman to contain him, but he punched a police officer in the arm while trying to hit a pro-Israel protester.
In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.
During the rally, anti-Israel activists pushed against a police barricade erected to separate them from the pro-Israel side. The anti-Israel side breached the barricade and marched toward the pro-Israel side where they verbally assaulted the pro-Israel activists. Separate videos showed some anti-Israel activists also stealing Israeli flags from the pro-Israel activists.
The anti-Israel activists then moved back to their side of the barricade where some of them chanted at the Israel supporters: “Nazis! Nazis!”
After demonstrators threw projectiles, police removed the barricade and proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists. Police declared the assembly to be “unlawful” and demanded that the crowd disperse or be arrested. Despite police warnings, some rioters reportedly continued to throw projectiles at police while others fled the scene.
While police used bicycles to disperse the rioters and pursue a number of them, some anti-Israel activists overturned police barricades to obstruct the street. Others threw garbage bags filled with trash onto the street while others dragged traffic barriers onto the street and overturned fencing.
Also during the really, anti-Israel activists from the counterprotest violently attacked and reportedly yelled anti-Semitic slurs at Joseph Borgen, a Jewish man who was heading to the pro-Israel rally in Times Square.
Borgen was beaten to the ground, kicked and punched. Once he was on the ground he was attacked with a crutch, stomped by several counterprotesters and pepper-sprayed. Multiple suspects were arrested and charged with having committed violent hate crimes.
Also on May 20, 2021, other anti-Israel activists launched fireworks from a car at passersby in Manhattan's heavily-Jewish Diamond District, burning a woman.
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.”
1. Are there any sanctions against ISRAEL for the murder and destruction of innocent Palestinian women and children?...”
On July 30, 2021, Othman shared a post on Facebook that said: “Real face of Isr*eli apartheid #FreePalestine.” The post compared two photos. One had a group of Israelis eating and celebrating life and the other had a family living in poor conditions.
Punching a Protester Who Had His Flag Stolen
Othman punched [00:00:13] a pro-Israel protester multiple times after the protester attempted to recover his Israeli flag. Another anti-Israel activist stole [00:00:02] the flag, which ended up in the hands of anti-Israel activist Rohaan Gill.Othman, alongside other anti-Israel activists, surrounded the man whose flag was snatched and threatened [00:00:13] to attack the man if he proceeded to recover his flag. Othman then punched [00:00:15] the man. Police officers approached [00:00:23] Othman to contain him, but he punched a police officer in the arm while trying to hit a pro-Israel protester.
Participating in a Violent Brawl
Othman’s multiple assaults occurred at a counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. The rally was held during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) against Hamas.In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.
During the rally, anti-Israel activists pushed against a police barricade erected to separate them from the pro-Israel side. The anti-Israel side breached the barricade and marched toward the pro-Israel side where they verbally assaulted the pro-Israel activists. Separate videos showed some anti-Israel activists also stealing Israeli flags from the pro-Israel activists.
The anti-Israel activists then moved back to their side of the barricade where some of them chanted at the Israel supporters: “Nazis! Nazis!”
After demonstrators threw projectiles, police removed the barricade and proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists. Police declared the assembly to be “unlawful” and demanded that the crowd disperse or be arrested. Despite police warnings, some rioters reportedly continued to throw projectiles at police while others fled the scene.
While police used bicycles to disperse the rioters and pursue a number of them, some anti-Israel activists overturned police barricades to obstruct the street. Others threw garbage bags filled with trash onto the street while others dragged traffic barriers onto the street and overturned fencing.
Also during the really, anti-Israel activists from the counterprotest violently attacked and reportedly yelled anti-Semitic slurs at Joseph Borgen, a Jewish man who was heading to the pro-Israel rally in Times Square.
Borgen was beaten to the ground, kicked and punched. Once he was on the ground he was attacked with a crutch, stomped by several counterprotesters and pepper-sprayed. Multiple suspects were arrested and charged with having committed violent hate crimes.
Also on May 20, 2021, other anti-Israel activists launched fireworks from a car at passersby in Manhattan's heavily-Jewish Diamond District, burning a woman.
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.”
Demonizing Israel
On June 28, 2022, Othman shared a post on Facebook that said: “[president of Russia Vladimir] PUTIN ASKS THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:1. Are there any sanctions against ISRAEL for the murder and destruction of innocent Palestinian women and children?...”
On July 30, 2021, Othman shared a post on Facebook that said: “Real face of Isr*eli apartheid #FreePalestine.” The post compared two photos. One had a group of Israelis eating and celebrating life and the other had a family living in poor conditions.
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahmad.othman.3745
- Status:
- Unknown
- University:
- Alfred State
- Organizations:
- N/A
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 06/23/2025
Photos & Screenshots
35 images