Black Man Awarded $4.5 Million After He Was Attacked By Religious Patrol Group

A Brooklyn man who was savagely beaten by members of a Hasidic safety patrol in 2013 has been awarded $4.5 million in the case.

The victim, Taj Patterson, who is Black and gay, was just 22 years old when he was walking home from a friend’s birthday celebration around 4:30 a.m. near Flushing Avenue on December 1st, 2013. Unprovoked, about ten Hasidic safety patrol members began beating him, calling him the “f-word” during their assault. Apparently, the members received a call earlier about a Black person vandalizing vehicles in Williamsburg. Patterson believes the group targeted the first Black person they saw.

Despite four witnesses, the NYPD’s 90th Precinct labeled the attack a misdemeanor with only one aggressor before closing the case. However, Peterson and his mother, Zahra, refused to accept this outcome, and shortly after, the case was reopened and classified as a hate crime. At least one 90th Precinct was reprimanded for closing the case without proper investigation. Eventually, five men were arrested on assault charges, though charges against two were dropped. The other two pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment in 2016, and a fifth man, Mayer Herskovic, was convicted of gang assault in 2017. He successfully appealed his conviction in 2018.

Since then, the fight for justice has been a slow process that often favored the attackers.

“This has been a tough fight since day one. You’re dealing with people who have a tight-knit connection to the police and political figures,” Zahra shared in a statement.

The Hasidic Safety Patrol is a specialized unit through the Williamsburg Safety Patrol meant to protect the Jewish community in New York City. The city has provided the department with funding since 2014, including $93,250 in fiscal 2023 from the City Council’s discretionary fund.

On September 19th, Judge Miriam Sunshine awarded Peterson the settlement, with $3 million going towards his past pain and suffering, while the other $1.5 million is to assist with his overall life moving forward. While the Hasidic rallied together to raise money for the legal defense, Peterson does not believe they will make efforts to pay him following the verdict.

To date, Peterson has not reportedly been paid.