hate crimes

After extensive questioning, police have charged Ruben Ubiles, 34, of Bedford-Stuyvesant with burglary, arson and criminal mischief as felony hate crimes, as well as reckless damage and reckless endangerment, reports said Friday.

The New York Times said Ubiles had a prior arrest record for robbery, assault and drug possession.

Ubiles was apprehended by police based on surveillance footage at a Williamsburg housing project where a mezuzah was burned on Tuesday. According to some reports Ubiles posted on Facebook that he was annoyed about Jews setting fires on streetcorners, apparently referring to chasidim burning chametz before Passover.

On Thursday Ubiles was charged with an unrelated crime, criminal contempt in connection with a violation of a court order of protection obtained by his girlfriend, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne told The Jewish Week. 

The Anti-Defamation League welcomed an FBI report showing a decrease in hate crimes over the past 10 years but said there were still “far too many” such crimes.

There were 6,222 hate crimes reported during 2011, according to the report released Monday. The year 2000 showed slightly more than 8,000 hate crimes.

The 2011 figure was a 6 percent decrease from 2010 and the least number of such crimes reported since 1994.

Two judges and the Manhattan district attorney were too soft on a man suspected of anti-Semitic hate crimes, Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind said on Thursday.

David Haddad was released on his own recognizance by Kings County Criminal Court Judge Linda Poust-Lopez, while New York State Acting Supreme Court Judge Abraham Clott in Manhattan set bail at $2,500, which Hikind called " nothing short of shocking. Manhattan DA Cy Vance requested a bail of only $5,000. New Yorkers deserve an explanation."

Vandals painted swastikas on the garage of a Jewish-owned house on East 5th Street in Midwood last weekend as well as on an apartment building across the street. The words "Die Jews" were also painted on the garage. A building of the Yeshiva of Brooklyn was also vandalized.

A New Brunswick, N.J., man who was charged in the vandalism of several Jewish-owned shops in nearby Highland Park reportedly is Jewish.