Brooklyn Yeshiva Headmaster Defends Security Guard Who Roughed Up Man
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Shocking video captured a school guard in Midwood, Brooklyn hurling another man who entered a yeshiva while children were inside.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, the video has gone viral on the Internet. And while it may look bad for the security guard, students and the school's headmaster say otherwise.
The video starts with a man yelling the N word at a security guard. The guard then forces the man up against the railing and punches him, and the guard repeats the racial slur in what seems to be angry disbelief.
The guard then dumps the man over the railing.
On social media, some have criticized the guard's response. But the headmaster of Yeshivot Shaare Torah strongly disagrees.
"In today's day and age, no one asks what's before the video happens," said headmaster Richard Altabe. "Everyone assumes that the video is the whole story."
The headmaster said in fact, the man was a potential threat to students. He entered the school without permission and refused to leave when asked, the headmaster said.
"He asked to see the rabbi. He was not known to anybody. He looked drunk and agitated," Altabe said. "Our security guard escorted him out of the building. And then he responded by pushing our security guard, and then our security guard felt threatened and did the right thing."
On the video, a staff member can be heard trying to stop the security guard. But the headmaster said he backs the guard 100 percent.
"He's beloved by our children. Our children support him; love him," Altabe said. "The fact that he was able to stand up for us in our time of need really, really showed us what his true strengths are."
The NYPD said it is aware of the incident, and said the man who was thrown over the railing did not swear out a complaint.
Two students told CBS2's Aiello the man who tussled with the security guard was belligerent and swearing loudly, and they were frightened.
Altabe said security is a major concern, and he is happy to have the guard on staff.
