Vile moment smirking woman gives FINGER at truck bearing image of kidnapped Israeli child in Manhattan – as laughing friend in hijab films her
- Two students at Baruch College in New York were caught on camera making an offensive gesture and laughing
- The poster was a call to find two young Israeli children who have been kidnapped
- Will you help us identify the women? Email isabelle.stanley@mailonline.com
A woman pointed a finger at a poster showing kidnapped Israeli children as her hijab-wearing friend laughed and filmed it outside a Manhattan university.
Footage of Wednesday’s incident – involving two women believed to be students at Baruch College in New York – was shared last night on X, formerly Twitter.
One of the young women filmed the poster as her friend gave the camera her middle finger before they both burst out laughing and walked away.
The incident took place outside the college in Midtown Manhattan and comes amid growing outrage over American students’ apparent gloating over Hamas’s attacks on Israel.
The women were caught on camera on Wednesday laughing at a poster of kidnapped children
They laughed and recorded themselves before walking away
A fellow student captured them on camera and shared the images online
They have yet to be identified, but are believed to be students at Baruch College in Manhattan
Jonah Corney, a fellow Baruch student who caught the incident on camera at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, said they were “taking a picture for likes while laughing and giving the middle finger to the billboard.”
He added: “These girls saw me recording and walked away. After I finished the video, the girl on the left turned and said, “If you’re going to record, make sure you take a good photo.”
He decided to share the footage online and captioned it: “I thought this mobile billboard truck was powerful because it prevented students from destroying kidnapped posters. A terrible moment captured by two Baruch students. #Israel #anti-Semitism #baruch #baruchcollege #nyc’.
The incident took place on the corner of 24th and Lexington in Manhattan.
Speaking to DailyMail.com on Thursday, Mr Corney said his “heart was broken into a million pieces knowing that I am sharing classrooms with people who disregard human life in this way.”
He added: “The posters highlight some of the war crimes committed against Israeli civilians.
‘I went to the driver and told him it was a great message and could bring attention to the situation.
Pro-Palestinian students march on the campus of the University of Massachusetts
‘When I picked up my phone to start recording, I was completely shocked. Two girls from Baruch College were ‘taking a picture for likes’ while laughing and giving the middle finger to the billboard.
‘Completely ignoring and mocking the innocent Israeli civilians who have been kidnapped.’
The women have yet to be identified and the College did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Corney, a student-athlete, notified the College of the incident and sent an email to the President and Vice President demanding action be taken.
He said: ‘Today at 12.33pm I saw a mobile billboard with pictures of the innocent Israeli children being kidnapped and taken back to Gaza – an act considered a serious war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
“There have been many posters highlighting these war crimes, which were torn down by students who joined the terrorist organization Hamas. I thought a billboard was powerful because it couldn’t just be ripped off a wall.
“I decided to take a video of the mobile billboard truck at the corner of 24th and Lexington when two Baruch students started laughing and even went so far as to give the billboard a middle finger.
“I feel sick as I type this email and cannot understand how students at Baruch College can be so naive.”
In response, the College’s vice-president told Mr Corney that ‘what happened is regrettable’ and that they would be investigating.
Hostile protests by Israeli and Palestinian supporters have erupted on college campuses
Dillon shared a flyer advertising the anti-Israel protest, declaring ‘solidarity with the Palestinians breaking out of their open-air prison’
It comes as tensions continue to escalate on US campuses in the wake of the Middle East conflict.
Last week, pro-Palestinian groups sparked outrage across America over their support for Hamas’ brutal attack that killed 1,300 Israelis, while tempers flared on the other side as Israel launched retaliatory sieges on the Gaza Strip.
A pro-Palestinian group labeled anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League is planning a “Day of Resistance” on college campuses.
Students for Justice in Palestine was founded in 2001 at the University of California, Berkeley, and has more than 200 chapters in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.