The NYPD shut down a Brooklyn yeshiva conducting classes with as many as 70 children on Monday. The bust comes after members of the community complained to city officials when they noticed children playing on the school’s roof without masks.

The tip resulted in the NYPD visiting the Bedford-Stuyvesant school, located on Madison Street, around noon. There were no summonses issued at the time, despite the school violating the city and state’s orders. 

What You Need To Know

  • NYPD: Dozens of children were in a class at a Bedford-Stuyvesant yeshiva.

  • Officers ordered the administrator to disperse the class.

  • De Blasio touts social distancing enforcement, but no summonses were issued.

In his weekly “Mondays with the Mayor” segment, Mayor de Blasio said that there would be NYPD enforcement where there are large gatherings and groups. But Errol Louis pushed back on this comment, noting there were zero summonses given out during the bust.

“We’ve been really clear. If the NYPD shows up, and there’s a gathering, the gathering needs to immediately disband and not come back,” he told Errol Louis. 

“If they don’t, the summonses come out and that’s what we’ve said…We’re going to approach each and every situation and each and every community. Immediately address the problem or you’re getting a summons, period. That kind of situation, we’re now going watch that location regularly to make sure reasserts," de Blasio said. 

The Yeshiva shutdown is one of several incidents that have further complicated an already strained relationship between the city and the Hasidic Jewish community during the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor de Blasio in April personally oversaw the break up of a large funeral with thousands of Hasidic Jewish mourners paying their respect to a prominent Rabbi. He took to Twitter to publicly condemn the gathering.

Mayor de Blasio took to twitter, once more on Monday evening, to share his disapproval of the Yeshiva holding class. De Blasio tweeted that the city would be issuing a cease and desist order to the school.

On Monday, New York City’s Department of Health released data that shows the highest confirmed cases of COVID-19 by zip codes. Borough Park, which has one of the largest orthodox Jewish communities outside of Israel, ranked fourth in the data set. The 11219 zip code of Borough Park had 2,836 positive cases and 218 deaths.

------

Looking for an easy way to learn about the issues affecting New York City?

Listen to our "Off Topic/On Politics" podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | RSS

-----

FURTHER CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

What to Do If You Test Positive for COVID-19

How Hospitals Protect Against the Spread of Coronavirus

Coronavirus Likely Spreads Without Symptoms

Coronavirus: The Fight to Breathe

Cuomo Granted Broad New Powers as New York Tackles Coronavirus