Hartsdale family says Palestinian flag stolen from front yard of home

A Hartsdale family says it endures discrimination as a Palestinian American Muslim family.

Nadia Galindo

Oct 31, 2023, 9:11 PM

Updated 403 days ago

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A Hartsdale family said they are living in fear after an apparent teenager was caught on camera stealing a Palestinian flag from their front yard.
"At the time, I was doing homework with my son," said a woman we are calling Lina, because she requested to stay anonymous. "I didn't realize somebody was on my property."
Lina said the incident is an example of the discrimination and hate she and her family endure as a Palestinian American Muslim family.
"There was a parent who told this child to get down from the car and grab this flag," she said. "The child is no more than 13-14, so I don't understand how they raise their kids to go do a crime."
Lina since replaced the stolen flag, which she said was originally put up to show solidarity with the thousands of Palestinian woman and children killed amid the war.
Lina says she has friends and family members trapped in the middle of the chaos in Gaza.
"We want to show people that we feel with other kids, other families, they don't have help, no food, no electricity," she said.
Lina reported the flag theft to Greenburgh police and installed better cameras but said the incident has had a profound impact on her son.
"Every single day, he's asking are those people going to come inside my house?" she said. "Are they going to rob my toys? Are they going to take me?"