A young woman who went viral for tearing down Israeli hostage posters on the Upper West Side has been arrested for pepper-spraying two NYPD officers in Times Square early Tuesday — and for trying to grab one of their guns in a bizarre suicide-by-cop attempt, police sources said.
“Shoot me! Kill me!” Dana Baraket, 19, screamed at the cops after she sprayed the officers on Broadway near W. 47th St., NYPD sources said. “I want to die!”
As she struggled with cops, Baraket repeatedly screamed “Free Palestine!” a police source who viewed one of the officer’s body-worn cameras said.
“The reason why we’re all dying is because of America!” she screamed as she was placed in handcuffs.
The two officers were on a foot post talking to each other when Baraket stormed up to them about 1:30 a.m.
She pepper-sprayed one of the officers but missed, police said. She then pepper-sprayed the other in the eyes and face and tried to pull one of the cop’s gun from its holster, cops said.
Their eyes stinging from the noxious chemicals, cops managed to tackle Barakat to the ground and take her into custody.
Cops charged her with robbery for trying to take the gun, as well as assault on an officer, weapon possession and harassment.
Her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Tuesday.
Upper West Side NYC – “f*ck you and f*ck Israel” … other woman “f*ck you b*tch … f*ck you and Israel” while both tearing down posters of kidnapped Israeli children taken by Hamas terrorists.
Help identify them! pic.twitter.com/IqXEtaMnmJ
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 31, 2023
In October, 2023, Baraket and her sister Aya went viral on social media when they were filmed pulling down Israeli hostage posters on the Upper West Side following the Hamas attack on Israel.
Caught on camera, the sisters yelled “F— You and F— Israel!” before leaving the scene.
The sisters were shamed on social media but never criminally charged for tearing the posters down, officials said.
