Here’s one the activist media won’t be covering.
A former Lyft driver is facing federal hate crime charges for allegedly assaulting a passenger he believed was Jewish or Israeli.
The altercation, which took place at San Francisco International Airport on October 26, 2023, is one of several incidents involving antisemitism that have cropped up since the war between Israel and Hamas started on October 7.
Daly City resident Csaba John Csukas, 39, was charged with a federal hate crime after allegedly striking a passenger in his ride share vehicle at the San Francisco International Airport on Oct. 26, 2023.
In the indictment unsealed Wednesday, Csukas worked as a driver for an app-based rideshare company and was hired to pick up the victim at SFO and take him home. But when Csukas approached the rider, he allegedly asked him if he was Jewish or Israeli, stated that he would not transport him if he was, and allegedly attacked him by striking him in the face with his fist.
According to a press release from the Justice Department, Csukas is being charged with “causing bodily injury because of the actual or perceived religion or national origin of a person in circumstances affecting interstate commerce.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray both commented on the case.
“The defendant, a rideshare driver, is charged with assaulting a rider because he thought the rider was Jewish or Israeli,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No one in this country should live in fear because of how they worship or where they come from. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate hate-fueled violence motivated by antisemitism or by bias of any kind.”
“No one should ever fear being attacked because of their nationality or religion,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “In this case, a rideshare driver assaulted the victim because he perceived them as Jewish or Israeli. The FBI is firmly committed to investigating such bias-motivated acts of violence and holding the perpetrators accountable to keep Americans safe.”
The incident took place at the airport when Csukas allegedly asked the victim if he was Jewish or Israeli before agreeing to give him a ride. He stated that he would not transport the passenger and physically attacked him by striking him in the face.
The suspect faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if he is convicted.
This moment serves as one of several grim reminders that anti-Jewish bigotry remains a problem in the United States. The issue intensified after the current war in Gaza began late last year. There have been several incidents nationwide involving antisemitism.
In November, an anti-Israel agitator killed an Israel supporter in Thousand Oaks, California after striking him in the head with a bullhorn during a demonstration.
Jewish students have also been threatened at universities across the country. The situation has gotten so dangerous that a study published in November showed that 37 percent of Jewish students reported concealing their identity out of fear of being attacked.
The situation with the Lyft driver is far from an isolated incident. As the war in Gaza continues, it would not be surprising to see even more incidents like this.
