Palestinian Man In New York Punched And Kicked By Group Waving Israeli Flag: Police

A group “yelling out anti-Palestine statements” and “waving an Israeli flag” assaulted a Palestinian man in Brooklyn, the New York City Police Department said.

The man was with two friends Wednesday night when three cars rolled by and those inside made the remarks, the NYPD said in a statement to HuffPost.

“Multiple unknown males exited the vehicles and approached the victims, making further anti-Palestine statements,” police said. “The males then assaulted the 18-year-old victim, punching and kicking him repeatedly.”

The Palestinian man’s friends, ages 19 and 20, were “further harassed” but unharmed by the group, who later fled in their vehicles, the NYPD said.

Police told CBS News  that all three victims were of Arab or Palestinian descent.

The attack comes during increasing tensions as violence escalates in Israel and Gaza .

Hours before the incident involving the 18-year-old, a 34-year-old man holding a Palestinian flag was attacked in a separate encounter in Brooklyn, CBS News reported. And at Columbia University, which has seen competing protests  over the Middle East conflict this week, a 24-year-old Israeli student was allegedly hit in the hand with a wooden stick by a 19-year-old woman, the NYPD said .

No suspects have been arrested in the attack against the 18-year-old, but the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.