A man was sentenced to 18 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to a federal hate crime conspiracy charge in a series of antisemitic assaults in New York City.

Saadah Masoud, 29, of Staten Island was arrested in June after authorities said he punched and dragged a counterprotester, who was draped in an Israeli flag, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in April.

Prosecutors said he also admitted to attacking a person wearing a Star of David necklace in May 2021 and a man wearing a yarmulke, a Jewish skullcap, a month later.

Masoud pleaded guilty in November and was sentenced by Judge Denise Cote. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement that the prosecution demonstrates that �hate-fueled violence will not be tolerated.�

Masoud defense attorney Ron Kuby said the court�s sentence, which fell at the bottom level of the guidelines, indicated the judge rejected the government�s argument that a �traumatized young Palestinian� was to blame for antisemitic acts perpetrated by �white supremacists.�

�As much as the government tried to make this about Judaism, it was always about Israel,� Kuby said.

(AP)