NEW CITY, NY – On Thursday, November 23, 2023 at 12:15pm, officers from the Clarkstown Police Department responded to Clarkstown Town Hall for reports that the Israeli flag had been stolen from the flag pole on which it was flying.

A witness stated to our dispatchers that an unknown male wearing dark clothing was observed ripping the Israeli flag from its flag pole and was running toward Rt. 304. A responding officer quickly located the above described male on Congers Rd., just east of Rt. 304. The male was attempting to remove his sweatshirt and conceal the flag in it when officers stopped to question him. The male was placed under arrest and transported to CPD headquarters where he was processed. The case is being handled by our JAB – Detectives as the arrestee is 15 years of age.

The Clarkstown Police Department is continuing to investigate all aspects of this crime, including but not limited to the possibility of this being a hate crime.