The local police precinct did not stand in their way, a testament to the Hasidic community’s influence in the Williamsburg neighbourhood. By 3:30 pm, police officers began erecting barricades, expecting a small number of mourners to show up. Word of the gathering soon reached City Hall, where the mayor decided to go to Brooklyn to oversee the dispersal himself. Hasidic Jews have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, which has killed hundreds in their community, including influential religious leaders. She wove her way through the crowd in a mask and gloves, which she said many of the mourners around her did not have.

Source: bd News24 April 30, 2020 02:48 UTC