Community members protest fundraiser for alleged serial child molester
By Vicki Polin
Examiner - May 17, 2012
Recently, self proclaimed psychotherapist, Nechemya Weberman of
Williamsburg, NY was charged with molesting one of his clients since she
was twelve-years-old .
In an attempt to help this well liked neighbor, members in the Satmar
community organized a fundraiser to help cover Weberman’s legal
expenses.
A few hours after signs were posted
throughout the community advertising the Weberman fundraiser,
supporters of the alleged victim were outraged and organized a historic
protest rally. Several individuals stated that Nechemya Weberman, was “a serial sexual predator and that this girl was not his first or only victim”.
According to the New York Daily News,
there were over a hundred activists facing off against thousands of
supporters of Weberman. The protesters were made up of adult survivors
of sexual abuse, family members and friends -- all coming together in
hopes of having their voices heard and educating the community many had
been raised in.
According to Motie Weiss, one of the organizers of the protest rally
-- as group members were unpacking their signs, an unidentified man came
charging at them. The police jumped into action and immediately made
an arrest. According to other reports there was at least one other
arrest made.
Another rally goer stated that as he was walking to his car after the
rally that all of a sudden he was surrounded by members of the Satmar
community. He started fearing for his safety, when police officers came
over and broke up the crowd.
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| Motie Weiss - Protect Victims NOT Abusers |
Motie Weiss shared that the protesters main message was to “Protect
Victims and NOT those who offend children”. During the rally members of
his group chanted several messages including: “A mikvah is not a
playground” and “Our children are not toys’. There was also chanting in
yiddish geared towards kids in hopes of educating the community,
telling children to “ask your father what a molester is?”
A few rally goers stated that as the night progressed the hasidic
crowd energy turned into anger and there was a definite fear that
violence might errupt, yet there was a good police presence in hopes of
protecting the protesters.
It was also reported that at one point hateful signs were pulled out
by members of the Satmar community against long time victim activist,
Rabbi Nochem Rosenberg, who back in 2008 was shot after refusing to stop
his hotline dedicated to educating the yiddish speaking community about
sexual abuse.
Tim Walsh, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse by a priest, shared that
he came to the rally to be supportive to all survivors and to protect
children of all faiths and ethnicity's. Mr. Walsh shared that as he was
walking to his car to leave, he was surrounded by community members in
what appears to be an intimidation attempt. When he confronted the
spokesperson of the group and asked if he “was trying to bully him”, the
other members laughed and dispersed.
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