STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A migrant who claims to be housed at a Staten Island shelter is facing hate crime charges stemming from an incident in which he allegedly assaulted a Long Island homeowner and attempted to make off with a pair of the man’s Israeli flags.
The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office identified 26-year-old Bechir Lehbeib, an asylum seeker reportedly from North Africa, as the individual who allegedly snatched the flags from the front lawn of a Hewlett, N.Y., home on Sunday, Feb. 4, just after 1 p.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Lehbeib was captured by a doorbell camera attempting to steal two pro-Israel flags before he was approached by the homeowner. A struggle ensued between the two men and Lehbeib allegedly punched the homeowner in the face before head-butting him.
During the incident, the victim claims that Lehbeib said to him: “I’m Palestinian, and you Jews are killing Palestinians.”
The victim further stated that Lehbeib punched him in the face several more times before throwing the flags down and stomping on them, authorities said.
Lehbeib faces hate crime charges of second-degree assault, robbery and criminal mischief. He was arraigned on Monday in Nassau District Court and was detained in lieu of $50,000, officials said.
Lehbeib, who claimed he was in Hewlett in search of work, listed addresses in Jamaica, Queens, and the Ramada by Wyndham on Staten Island, which is currently being used as a migrant shelter, as his places of residence, according to Long Island police.
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