Faisal Elezzi
Overview
Faisal Elezzi [Faisal Alezzi] pled guilty to attempted assault to cause injury, as a hate crime, for physically attacking a Jewish man in a mob attack in New York City on May 20, 2021.Also that day, Elezzi led a mob of protesters who then pushed police officers and a police barricade. He also physically threatened police officers, then stomped on an Israeli flag while standing next to the barricade. He later tore [00:03:24] apart an Israeli flag.
As of April 2023, Elezzi was also listed as a defendant in a civil lawsuit brought in connection to his crimes committed on May 20, 2021, as outlined above.
Elezzi participated in a May 18, 2021 rally organized by Within Our Lifetime (WOL), an anti-Israel activist group in New York City founded by Nerdeen Kiswani. Until February 2018, WOL was known as a branch of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), going by the name NYC SJP.
WOL’s “Points of Unity” states [point 3]: “We defend the right of Palestinians as colonized people to resist the zionist occupation by any means necessary.”
As of April 2023, Elezzi was listed on opengovus.com as a “Registered Agent” at Dania’s Fashion, Inc., in Staten Island, New York.
For more information, see the Canary Mission page Within Our Lifetime: The NYC Org Inciting Its Activists To Violence.
Four days after the attack, police arrested Elezzi for his part in the violent attack [00:00:01] on Joseph Borgen, a Jewish man heading to a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. Elezzi was reportedly charged with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
As of January 17, 2023, Elezzi’s case details page on the New York State Unified Court System said that the top charge against him was assault with intent to cause injury as a hate crime. The charge was listed as a class E felony which reportedly carried a possible sentence of probation of 1.5 to 4 years, but no jail time.
However, on April 24, 2023, a lesser count, of attempted assault to cause injury, was added to the charges against Ellezi, to which he then pled guilty. This new, lesser, count was designated as the "top charge" in a plea deal whereby Elezzi's crime was downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor.
In addition to the criminal charges, Elezzi was listed as one of five defendants in a civil lawsuit brought by Borgen in May 2022. The other defendants were Waseem Awawdeh, Mohammed Othman, Mahmoud R. Musa and a minor with the initials “K.A.” In April 2023, Awawdeh pled guilty to his role in the attack and he received 18 months in jail.
Borgen’s lawsuit said [p. 5] that the defendants “punched, kicked, pepper sprayed him, and otherwise assaulted Mr. Borgen just because he was Jewish (and visibly so), causing great pain and serious physical damage to him, requiring surgery. The widely publicized attack left Jews around the country feeling scared just to engage in normal activities publicly, let alone advocacy for Israel, out of fear that they too could be targeted and hurt by these Antisemitic gangs.”
Elezzi was one of multiple perpetrators being pursued by the police for the attack on Borgen.
On May 21, 2021, Elezzi was one of four suspects in the attack still being sought by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, who asked the public for help in identifying and locating Elezzi.
That same day, the Task Force posted a tweet that said: “
Thursday May 20th, approx. 6:44 PM, at 1604 Broadway, a male, 29, wearing a yarmulke, was assaulted by a group of males who, knocked him down, punched, kicked and pepper sprayed him and hit him with crutches, while making anti-Semitic statements. Know them? 
1-800-577-TIPS.”
On May 22, 2021, the New York Post published an article about Awawdeh’s arrest. In the article, the Manhattan Assistant District Attorney said that Borgen was called a “dirty Jew” by Awawdeh, who also said: “F**k Israel, Hamas is going to kill all of you.”
Borgen reportedly said that on the corner of W. 48th St. and Seventh Ave, “All of a sudden, I turn around and see someone chasing me.” He added: “They hit me with fists, kicked me, hit me with crutches, hit me with signs ... They were saying, ‘You dirty Jew, f--- Israel, go back to your country!’”
Borgen reportedly had a concussion and also said: “I felt a liquid being poured on my face, and at first I thought I was getting urinated on…”
Borgen continued: “But it turned out I was getting Maced and pepper-sprayed. My face was on fire. That pain was worse than the concussion and all this other stuff that followed.”
Borgen added: “I had an X-ray on my wrist. It’s not broken, but it’s messed up. Every time I move it, it’s in pain, probably sprained. I have bruises all over my body. I have a black eye. My face is banged up. I’m just sore all over my body. They were kicking me in my ribs, my stomach.”
On May 24, 2021, Elezzi was arrested by the NYPD.
On May 25, 2021, Elezzi was featured in video footage in a Daily Mail article leaving the Manhattan Criminal Court after a court appearance on May 24, 2021.
During the counterprotest, Elezzi forcibly moved the police barricades and also stomped on and tore Israeli flags. Police arrested more than two dozen anti-Israel activists and WOL pledged them legal support the following day.
The rally occurred during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) in Gaza. 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.
On May 20, 2021, the day of the gang assault against Joseph Borgen, Elezzi also participated in a violent counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square.
Elezzi led [00:00:41] anti-Israel activists to one part of a police barricade erected to separate the pro-Israel rally from the counterprotest. At least one of the activists during this stage of the counterprotest stole someone’s Israeli flag.
Elezzi and other anti-Israel activists then pushed [00:01:33] against the barricade and the police officers who were trying to maintain the barricade.
Elezzi then threatened the police officers who were trying to maintain the barricade, screaming [00:01:50] at them: “I'll f**k you up! I’ll f**k you up!”
After that, Elezzi stomped [00:01:57] on an Israeli flag while standing next to the barricade.
During the rally, anti-Israel activists breached the police barricade and stole Israeli flags from some of the pro-Israel activists. They then confronted pro-Israel activists and repeatedly yelled at them.
The anti-Israel activists then moved back to their side of the barricade, where they later chanted at the Israel supporters: “Nazis! Nazis!”
Elezzi then joined the activists in taunting the Israel supporters while he tore [00:03:24] apart an Israeli flag.
After demonstrators threw projectiles, the police removed the barrier, declared that the “assembly was unlawful” and demanded the crowd to disperse or face charges. The police proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists while others fled the scene, including [00:14:33] Elezzi.
Police used bicycles to both 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.
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.
As police and passersby tended to another injured person lying on the ground, more anti-Israel activists loitered in the area, including Elezzi, who could be seen [00:01:31] in the far right side of a Twitter video. Other anti-Israel activists drove [00:00:19] and walked by shouting [00:00:48] from their car windows. Others on the street pushed [00:00:37] people and yelled [00:00:24]: “F**k you Zionists, f**k you!”
On the evening of May 20, 2021, multiple anti-Israel activists from the counterprotest spat on people dining at an outdoor cafe.
On May 21 and 22, 2021, WOL posted two Instagram posts that offered legal support and advice to anyone arrested “protesting for Palestine.” The posts portrayed the assailants as victims.
Elezzi participated [00:00:51] in a WOL rally [00:01:43] on May 18, 2021. The WOL Instagram post for the rally called it a “PROTEST OUTSIDE THE ZIONIST MISSION TO THE U.N.”
During the rally, a mob of anti-Israel activists, led by Saadah Masoud, violently attacked [00:02:17] two men, one of whom held an Israeli flag.
Other anti-Israel activists at the rally chanted: “There is only one solution! Intifada, Revolution.”
April 24, 2023 - Pleading Guilty to Attempted Assault
On April 24, 2023, Elezzi pled guilty to attempted assault to cause injury, as a hate crime for his role in a violent mob attack on a Jewish man on May 20, 2021. He will reportedly be sentenced on June 8, 2023, to three years’ probation and will be required to comply with anti-bias programming through Queens Counseling for Change. Elezzi was also required to make a public apology for his actions.Four days after the attack, police arrested Elezzi for his part in the violent attack [00:00:01] on Joseph Borgen, a Jewish man heading to a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. Elezzi was reportedly charged with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
As of January 17, 2023, Elezzi’s case details page on the New York State Unified Court System said that the top charge against him was assault with intent to cause injury as a hate crime. The charge was listed as a class E felony which reportedly carried a possible sentence of probation of 1.5 to 4 years, but no jail time.
However, on April 24, 2023, a lesser count, of attempted assault to cause injury, was added to the charges against Ellezi, to which he then pled guilty. This new, lesser, count was designated as the "top charge" in a plea deal whereby Elezzi's crime was downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor.
In addition to the criminal charges, Elezzi was listed as one of five defendants in a civil lawsuit brought by Borgen in May 2022. The other defendants were Waseem Awawdeh, Mohammed Othman, Mahmoud R. Musa and a minor with the initials “K.A.” In April 2023, Awawdeh pled guilty to his role in the attack and he received 18 months in jail.
Borgen’s lawsuit said [p. 5] that the defendants “punched, kicked, pepper sprayed him, and otherwise assaulted Mr. Borgen just because he was Jewish (and visibly so), causing great pain and serious physical damage to him, requiring surgery. The widely publicized attack left Jews around the country feeling scared just to engage in normal activities publicly, let alone advocacy for Israel, out of fear that they too could be targeted and hurt by these Antisemitic gangs.”
Elezzi was one of multiple perpetrators being pursued by the police for the attack on Borgen.
On May 21, 2021, Elezzi was one of four suspects in the attack still being sought by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, who asked the public for help in identifying and locating Elezzi.
That same day, the Task Force posted a tweet that said: “
Thursday May 20th, approx. 6:44 PM, at 1604 Broadway, a male, 29, wearing a yarmulke, was assaulted by a group of males who, knocked him down, punched, kicked and pepper sprayed him and hit him with crutches, while making anti-Semitic statements. Know them? 1-800-577-TIPS.”On May 22, 2021, the New York Post published an article about Awawdeh’s arrest. In the article, the Manhattan Assistant District Attorney said that Borgen was called a “dirty Jew” by Awawdeh, who also said: “F**k Israel, Hamas is going to kill all of you.”
Borgen reportedly said that on the corner of W. 48th St. and Seventh Ave, “All of a sudden, I turn around and see someone chasing me.” He added: “They hit me with fists, kicked me, hit me with crutches, hit me with signs ... They were saying, ‘You dirty Jew, f--- Israel, go back to your country!’”
Borgen reportedly had a concussion and also said: “I felt a liquid being poured on my face, and at first I thought I was getting urinated on…”
Borgen continued: “But it turned out I was getting Maced and pepper-sprayed. My face was on fire. That pain was worse than the concussion and all this other stuff that followed.”
Borgen added: “I had an X-ray on my wrist. It’s not broken, but it’s messed up. Every time I move it, it’s in pain, probably sprained. I have bruises all over my body. I have a black eye. My face is banged up. I’m just sore all over my body. They were kicking me in my ribs, my stomach.”
On May 24, 2021, Elezzi was arrested by the NYPD.
On May 25, 2021, Elezzi was featured in video footage in a Daily Mail article leaving the Manhattan Criminal Court after a court appearance on May 24, 2021.
May 20, 2021 - Violent Protest
On the same day as the assault against Borgen, Elezzi threatened to harm police officers during a violent counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. His threats came as officers tried to maintain a barricade separating anti-Israel and pro-Israel activists. He yelled [00:01:50] at officers: "I'll f**k you up! I'll f**k you up!"During the counterprotest, Elezzi forcibly moved the police barricades and also stomped on and tore Israeli flags. Police arrested more than two dozen anti-Israel activists and WOL pledged them legal support the following day.
The rally occurred during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) in Gaza. 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.
On May 20, 2021, the day of the gang assault against Joseph Borgen, Elezzi also participated in a violent counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square.
Elezzi led [00:00:41] anti-Israel activists to one part of a police barricade erected to separate the pro-Israel rally from the counterprotest. At least one of the activists during this stage of the counterprotest stole someone’s Israeli flag.
Elezzi and other anti-Israel activists then pushed [00:01:33] against the barricade and the police officers who were trying to maintain the barricade.
Elezzi then threatened the police officers who were trying to maintain the barricade, screaming [00:01:50] at them: “I'll f**k you up! I’ll f**k you up!”
After that, Elezzi stomped [00:01:57] on an Israeli flag while standing next to the barricade.
During the rally, anti-Israel activists breached the police barricade and stole Israeli flags from some of the pro-Israel activists. They then confronted pro-Israel activists and repeatedly yelled at them.
The anti-Israel activists then moved back to their side of the barricade, where they later chanted at the Israel supporters: “Nazis! Nazis!”
Elezzi then joined the activists in taunting the Israel supporters while he tore [00:03:24] apart an Israeli flag.
After demonstrators threw projectiles, the police removed the barrier, declared that the “assembly was unlawful” and demanded the crowd to disperse or face charges. The police proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists while others fled the scene, including [00:14:33] Elezzi.
Police used bicycles to both 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.
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.
As police and passersby tended to another injured person lying on the ground, more anti-Israel activists loitered in the area, including Elezzi, who could be seen [00:01:31] in the far right side of a Twitter video. Other anti-Israel activists drove [00:00:19] and walked by shouting [00:00:48] from their car windows. Others on the street pushed [00:00:37] people and yelled [00:00:24]: “F**k you Zionists, f**k you!”
On the evening of May 20, 2021, multiple anti-Israel activists from the counterprotest spat on people dining at an outdoor cafe.
On May 21 and 22, 2021, WOL posted two Instagram posts that offered legal support and advice to anyone arrested “protesting for Palestine.” The posts portrayed the assailants as victims.
May 18, 2021 - WOL Emergency Rally for Palestine
Elezzi protested with anti-Israel activists at a WOL rally organized outside of the Israeli consulate in Manhattan.Elezzi participated [00:00:51] in a WOL rally [00:01:43] on May 18, 2021. The WOL Instagram post for the rally called it a “PROTEST OUTSIDE THE ZIONIST MISSION TO THE U.N.”
During the rally, a mob of anti-Israel activists, led by Saadah Masoud, violently attacked [00:02:17] two men, one of whom held an Israeli flag.
Other anti-Israel activists at the rally chanted: “There is only one solution! Intifada, Revolution.”
Since the early 2000s, the term “intifada,” which translates from Arabic as “uprising” or “insurrection,” has carried the connotation of violence.
Acts of violence and physical confrontations with police have frequently occurred at WOL protests and marches. WOL uses harassment campaigns to target pro-Israel organizations or companies that do business with Israel, making it a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Multiple activists who have either burned Israeli flags or led chants at WOL rallies were later jailed for violent anti-Semitic hate crimes, including Saadah Masoud and Waseem Awawdeh. In Masoud’s case, he received 18 months in jail for an anti-Semitic assault at an April 2022 WOL rally and two other anti-Semitic assaults in 2021.
WOL promotes “resistance” against Israel “by any means necessary,” calls to “Globalize the Intifada,” spreads incitement and idolizes [00:34:06] Palestinian terrorists like Leila Khaled and others at rallies and online events.
WOL was founded by Nerdeen Kiswani and Dan Cione in 2015. Kiswani is a frequent speaker at WOL rallies where she has promoted terrorism against Israelis and called for the death of Zionists. She has also provided support for Masoud and other activists following their arrests.
WOL began as the New York City chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), going by NYC SJP, but changed its name in 2018. The group is not found to be registered in any U.S. state as a nonprofit organization under its official name. Nor is there any listing for WOL under its name on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website for tax-exempt organizations.
Facebook 2:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011370405665
Twitter 1:https://twitter.com/faisal___alezzi
Twitter 2:https://twitter.com/FaisalAlezzi
Twitter 3:https://twitter.com/faisal_alezzi
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcHTHBanYdqL_bM1N2Ev5CA
Quora:https://www.quora.com/profile/Faisal-Alezzi
WOL
Within Our Lifetime (WOL) is a pro-terror activist group in New York City dedicated to Israel’s destruction within the lifetime of its members.Acts of violence and physical confrontations with police have frequently occurred at WOL protests and marches. WOL uses harassment campaigns to target pro-Israel organizations or companies that do business with Israel, making it a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Multiple activists who have either burned Israeli flags or led chants at WOL rallies were later jailed for violent anti-Semitic hate crimes, including Saadah Masoud and Waseem Awawdeh. In Masoud’s case, he received 18 months in jail for an anti-Semitic assault at an April 2022 WOL rally and two other anti-Semitic assaults in 2021.
WOL promotes “resistance” against Israel “by any means necessary,” calls to “Globalize the Intifada,” spreads incitement and idolizes [00:34:06] Palestinian terrorists like Leila Khaled and others at rallies and online events.
WOL was founded by Nerdeen Kiswani and Dan Cione in 2015. Kiswani is a frequent speaker at WOL rallies where she has promoted terrorism against Israelis and called for the death of Zionists. She has also provided support for Masoud and other activists following their arrests.
WOL began as the New York City chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), going by NYC SJP, but changed its name in 2018. The group is not found to be registered in any U.S. state as a nonprofit organization under its official name. Nor is there any listing for WOL under its name on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website for tax-exempt organizations.
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook 1:https://www.facebook.com/faisal.alezzi.3Facebook 2:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011370405665
Twitter 1:https://twitter.com/faisal___alezzi
Twitter 2:https://twitter.com/FaisalAlezzi
Twitter 3:https://twitter.com/faisal_alezzi
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcHTHBanYdqL_bM1N2Ev5CA
Quora:https://www.quora.com/profile/Faisal-Alezzi
- Status:
- Professional
- University:
- Organizations:
- WOL
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 05/04/2026
Videos
9 videos
Photos & Screenshots
53 images