Leader of protests against new coronavirus guidelines arrested

Amid the wave of protests against the latest coronavirus guidelines, a figurehead of the protests was directed to steer clear of a journalist who was followed and captured by the people. 

Charges on the protest leader

Heshy Tischler was indicted with the charge of instigating people to cause disorder and illicit confinement of a journalist. Judge Edwin Novillo told him that he could be detained again if he initiated contact or someone on his behalf attempted to get in touch with Jewish Insider journalist Jacob Kornbluh, even via social media. 

Tischler is a City Council candidate and activist in the conventional Jewish neighborhood in Borough Park. He had been detained due to his ties to the street protest which happened on October 7. 

According to the video, a group of men being encouraged by Tischler are gathering around and taunting Kornbluh as he was reporting on the neighborhood not obliging to the social distancing protocols. Tischler is seen shouting in Kornbluh’s face without wearing a mask. 

Tischler described his detention a “political stunt” on Twitter. He believed his encounter with Kornbluh was sheltered by the First Amendment. 

Protest to stage intimidation

A crowd of men collected outside Kornbluh’s house to stage their disapproval to Tischler’s detention on Sunday night. During the virtual hearing on the following day, Tischler’s lawyer Abraham Hoschander requested the judge not to execute the order of protection against his client as he presents no danger to the complainant.  

Tischler was let go as he agreed to appear before the court whenever required. 

Protests were incited in the area after Governor Andrew Cuomo declared the latest constraints on schools, workplaces and religious places as the cases of the infection were surging.  

Protest in Borough park

The major part of places under lockdowns are the ones with Orthodox Jewish populations as residents and religious figureheads have whined of being singled out. The surge in cases has been recorded corresponding to the Jewish holidays in September. 

Cuomo said on Sunday that the so-called cluster areas have had 17.6% of all positive coronavirus cases even though it has just 2.8% of the state’s populace. 

The Democratic governor encouraged people residing in those areas to oblige to the guidelines.