NYC man sentenced for brutal 2021 antisemitic attack on Jewish victim in Times Square

A man from Staten Island was sentenced to seven years in prison for a brutal antisemitic gang-style attack carried out in one of the busiest parts of the city.

Joseph Borgen was severely beaten by a group of men in Times Square as he was on his way to a pro-Israel rally in 2021. Mahmoud Musa was one of the five men who allegedly attacked Borgen in a pre-meditated assault, shouting slurs at him as they went after the Jewish man from Long Island, according to prosecutors. A graphic video showed a group of people beating on the then-29-year-old man in the middle of the street.

"They proceeded to assault me, beat me, kick me, punch me hit me with crutches, hit me with flag poles," Borgen previously told NBC New York. He said he hadn't even gotten to the protest, but rather said he exited a nearby subway station and was targeted, getting pepper-sprayed amid the attack.

The judge handed down the stiff punishment on Tuesday, which amounted to more time than what prosecutors had requested. The judge added six more months of prison time than what the prosecutor recommended.

Family and supporters of Borgen say the sentence sends a clear message: Hate crimes against Jews will not be tolerated. Borgen seemed pleased with the result as well.

"I’m relieved its over. I think we got a strong prison sentence," Borgen said.

The courtroom became a microcosm of the conflict raging in the Middle East, as Musa's family had to be removed at one point when the hearing got heated.

"I don’t think it would have been this contentious two months ago," said Steven Fink, an attorney for Borgen.

On one side of the courtroom, members of the Jewish community wore Justice for Joey hats. On the other side was Musa’s family and friends.

Borgen explained to the court how the beating continues to affect him to this day – from struggling with PTSD to surgeries to fix his damaged wrist.

Two years after the beatdown, Borgen said he still suffers from PTSD from what happened to him. He said he worries for his safety when he wears a yarmulke in public.

"I do suffer from pain every single day," Borgen said.

In the courtroom, Musa apologized to Borgen and to the Jewish community for what he did. He also said he hopes the war between Israel and Hamas ends soon so the two sides can co-exist.

But Borgen wasn't buying it.

"I don’t think there’s remorse, honestly," he said.

Tensions flared when Musa was escorted out of the courtroom, with his family members and supporters standing up to voice their support for him. Borgen said what happened made him "a little nervous, a little on edge."

Manhattan District Alvin Bragg said in a statement that Borgen "continues to suffer from significant trauma and pain from this incident. No one should have to endure the type of vicious, hate-driven attack he experienced, and I hope he continues to heal and recover.”

Borgen is moving forward with a civil lawsuit against the attackers as well; Musa is the third of five defendants to be sentenced in the case. The remaining two others will be sentenced in December.