Migrant is seen in shocking footage beating Long Island homeowner after stealing Israeli flag from his porch and yelling ‘I’m from Palestine’
A self-identified Palestinian migrant has been arrested after he was seen in shocking Ring doorbell footage pulling down a pro-Israel flag from a New Yorker’s porch before launching a frenzied attack on the homeowner.
Bechir Lehbeib, 26, was arrested Sunday after punching Long Island resident Alexsandr Binyaminov after allegedly taking offense to his “In This Home We Stand with Israel” flag.
Binyaminov, who reportedly said one of his family members was killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, blamed President Joe Biden’s weak border policies for his ordeal.
He told the New York Post that the migrant attack came completely out of the blue when, as soon as he confronted him about removing the flag, he “just started fighting with me and punching me in the face.”
Ring doorbell footage captured the moment a ‘Palestinian’ migrant pulled down an Israeli flag from a porch in Long Island, New York
Homeowner Alexsandr Binyaminov said he confronted the man before he ‘just started fighting with me and punching me in the face’
Bechir Lehbeib, 26, reportedly said he was Palestinian during the attack and proclaimed his hatred of Israel, although officials said he is from North Africa.
Although Lehbeib reportedly said he was Palestinian during the alleged attack, Nassau County police told DailyMail.com he was a North African asylum seeker.
The department noted that he remains at a migrant shelter on Staten Island, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the incident in Hewlett, Long Island.
The homeowner said he was left battered and bruised by the incident, which happened after his Ring doorbell security system alerted him that someone was at his home.
Binyaminov said he looked toward the front of his house and saw Lebeib tearing his pro-Israel flag from his porch.
“So I got dressed and came out. I confronted him,” he said, adding that the alleged attacker began attacking him as soon as he told him to return the flag.
He then ran after the migrant and “didn’t think twice” about escalating the situation because “I was feeling a little hot and it meant something to us.”
But his efforts to retrieve Lehbeib’s flag are said to have turned violent as he said he “basically put me in a choking position, threw me to the ground and headbutted me.”
“He said, ‘I’m from Palestine. You’re killing Jews.’ That’s all he said,” Binyaminov added.
Blurry cellphone footage also showed Lehbeib running off with the flag before turning around and flashing his middle finger.
When police arrived and arrested Lehbeib, he reportedly continued to rant about the Middle East crisis and said he hated Israeli Jews.
He allegedly told the arresting officers: “When I see the flag of the people who killed my people, we have a problem.”
Blurry cellphone footage also showed Lehbeib running off with the flag before turning around and flashing his middle finger
The incident sparked outrage as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said it is indicative of the migrant crisis as they are “spitting on our flag… It’s an invasion.” It is a shame’
Nassau police told DailyMail.com that Lehbeib refused medical attention at the scene, while Binyaminov suffered a black eye and minor injuries.
He now faces charges of second-degree assault, second-degree theft and criminal mischief.
Following his arraignment, the migrant will be held on a $50,000 bond and a $100,000 bond, police said.
Officials reportedly said the migrant entered the U.S. through the southern border in November. Although he describes himself as Palestinian, authorities believe he is from the North African region.
The incident comes just weeks after the brutal beating of an NYPD police officer in Manhattan’s Times Square, which sparked outrage as the migrant crisis continues to drain the Big Apple’s resources.
Binyaminov blamed the crisis for his attack, feeling that this would never have happened with an efficient border policy.
“This is happening because of open borders, and before we let people in, we need to know their backgrounds. We must protect our country, our citizens and our taxpayers,” he said.
He emphasized that Hewlett is a “very quiet” neighborhood where “nothing ever happens,” and said he had no idea what he was doing in the sleepy community.
“I know he’s dealing with a number of crimes, but this was his choice,” he added.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said when he announced the arrest that he was outraged that the incident occurred in the civilized neighborhood because “Nassau County is not a sanctuary.”
He added that an investigation is underway to find out why Lehbeib was so far away from the migrant shelter where he is staying after allegedly taking the bus.
He reportedly said he was in the area looking for work and has addresses in Jamaica, Queens and at the Staten Island migrant shelter.
“It’s very suspicious,” Blakeman continued. “He came a long way from Staten Island to get here. If he’s looking for work, why did he have any nefarious ideas… It’s absolutely insane.’
“These are not people who kiss the ground when they come here. They spit on our flag,” he said.
‘It’s an invasion. It is a shame.’