Man threatens to set fire to bagel shop in Queens for alleged hate crime

FRESH MEADOWS, Queens – The NYPD’s hate crimes task force is investigating after a man threatened to set fire to a bagel shop in Queens.

It happened on Wednesday, November 10 at 3:40 pm at the Union Turnpike store in Fresh Meadows.

Police say the suspect was recorded on his phone when he told one of the store employees to remove the Israeli flags hanging in the store.

“Takedown those Israeli flags and shut down the business or I will burn down the building,” he allegedly told the workers.

No injuries were reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this incident should call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, in Spanish, at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).