Police are investigating a possible hate crime involving two Orthodox Jewish men being blasted with snow by a plow in Lakewood, New Jersey, during Saturday’s snow storm.
A 10-second video shows a driver approaching two people dressed in black on the side of the road walking in the snow. People inside the vehicle appear to laugh as the snow obscures the front and driver’s side windows, with the vehicle then driving past the pair.
A now suspended employee of Waste Management used his snowplow to bury two Orthodox Jewish men in Lakewood. Disgusting.
pic.twitter.com/JGduaSkBnI— Knittinglinda #GetVaxxedAndBoosted (@knittinglinda) January 31, 2022
The video was reportedly initially posted on the Facebook pages of the driver and the passenger before being removed, according to PhillyVoice, citing local sources. The incident is currently under investigation by Lakewood Police and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, according to ABC6.
Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles said he was “disgusted” after seeing the video, according to ABC6. Coles said on Monday the two men hit by snow in the video are pressing charges, claiming the driver targeted them, according to NBC New York. Both men are Orthodox Jews, the outlet reported.
The driver, an employee of Waste Management, has been suspended from his job amid the ongoing investigation, according to PhillyVoice. (RELATED: REPORT: Jews Make Up 57.5% Of Religious Hate Crimes, Despite Being 2% Of The Population)
“The hateful conduct depicted in this video is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of inclusion and diversity we hold as a company,” Waste Management tweeted Sunday. “The employee is suspended while we investigate the incident, but we can confirm that this behavior will not be tolerated from any WM employee and we will not employ those who act this way.”
Lakewood is home to one of the nation’s most populous Orthodox Jewish communities, PhillyVoice reported.