Two NYPD officers experienced a harrowing encounter earlier today in Times Square when they were pepper sprayed in the face by a woman later identified as Dana Baraket. The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. in front of the Dos Caminos restaurant at 47th Street and Broadway, as reported by CBS News. Eyewitnesses claim to have seen the woman approach one of the officers from behind before unleashing the spray.
Following the attack, which seemed to be random, police say the woman began screaming at the officers and attempted to grab one of their firearms. The altercation escalated at that point, but the officers managed to subdue her before she could acquire a weapon. Witnesses reported seeing officers tackle her to the ground amidst the chaos. The two officers were subsequently hospitalized in stable condition. The New York Post noted that the authorities praised the officers for their composure, stating, "The officers did an excellent job under extreme pressure and stress when they were intentionally ambushed by the attacker."
Baraket faces multiple charges including assaulting a police officer, attempted robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, harassment, and criminal possession of a noxious matter. The motive behind her disturbing actions might be rooted in a previous incident. In October 2023, following a violent conflict involving Hamas and Israel, Baraket was caught on video angrily tearing down Israeli child hostage posters while expressing anti-Israel sentiments. During the past confrontation, which was circulated online by the nonprofit StopAntisemitism, Baraket and her sister were confronted by a local family and a heated exchange occurred, with one of the women yelling, "F–k you, f–k Israel," according to the New York Post.
Her father Hasan Baraket spoke with his daughters after their actions made headlines, explaining to the New York Post that although he disapproved of their offensive language, he insisted that they were not antisemitic and that the situation had been taken out of context. Baraket's family alleged provocation by the Adler family, claiming that a photo of a Palestinian baby was snatched from their hands during the encounter. The NYPD is urging anyone with information about the recent attack to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline and all tips are to be kept confidential.
