A New York City teacher faces an investigation by education officials after allegedly praising the Hamas leader behind the October 7 attack in a group chat.
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teacher → face → chat
Damien Neva, 48, an educator at PS 77 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, was accused of writing, 'Long live Yahya al-Sinwar,' according to a lawsuit cited by the New York Post.
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Sinwar → accuse → Post
The outlet described Neva as a 'washed-up fashion photographer' who praised al-Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 massacre in 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 250 people kidnapped.
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people → describe → people
The former photographer was accused of sending the message in a Signal group chat filled with other anti-Israel members, according to the filing.
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photographer → accuse → filing
As per the document, Neva was also described as the leader of a boycott movement and said, 'That lot does not have the votes to block our campaign' – in reference to Jewish members and others who supported Israel.
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who → describe → Israel
The lawsuit is related to a dispute involving the Park Slope Food Coop, a grocery store that was sued by a Jewish group after its board voted to ban Israeli goods.
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board → relate → goods
StopAntisemitism posted the alleged messages sent by Neva, as well as an image of an Israeli flag crossed out, which the organization also accused the teacher of posting.
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organization → post → teacher
'Neva reportedly posted "Long live Yahya al-Sinwar," praising the former Hamas leader and architect of the October 7 massacre,' StopAntisemitism wrote on X.
Damien Neva, 48, (pictured center left) an educator at PS 77 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, faces an investigation by education officials after he was accused of writing, 'Long live Yahya al-Sinwar,' according to a lawsuit cited by the New York Post
Neva, a former photographer and videographer, was accused of sending the message in a Signal group chat filled with other anti-Israel members
'His social media also features a crossed-out image of Israel.
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media → post → Israel
Roughly 157,000 Jewish children live in Brooklyn.
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children → live → Brooklyn
According to the Post, Neva’s social media also showed the Star of David painted onto the Statue of Liberty, as well as a post comparing Warsaw in 1944 to Palestine in 2024.
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media → accord → 2024
A reporter with the outlet tried to ask the teacher for comment, but Neva called the police.
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Neva → try → police
Before becoming a teacher, Neva was a photographer, videographer and social media director at Next Management, a modeling agency.
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Neva → become → Management
He also worked at Ford Models and Calvin Klein.
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He → work → Models
Al-Sinwar was killed on October 16, 2024, after being hunted by Israeli intelligence services and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for more than a year.
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Sinwar → kill → year
His killing was seemingly by chance, with the group of IDF soldiers responsible for his death reportedly not knowing his true identity at the time.
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group → know → time
Israeli officials said the 61-year-old, who had long been dubbed the Butcher of Khan Younis, was killed after he emerged from the underground tunnel network where he had been hiding.
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he → say → network
The teacher allegedly praised Sinwar (pictured), who masterminded the unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel in 2023
Before becoming a teacher, Neva was a photographer, videographer and social media director at Next Management, a modeling agency (PS 77 in Park Slope, Brooklyn pictured)
Dov Hikind, a former Brooklyn assemblyman and founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, told the Post that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Department of Education should fire Neva.
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Department → praise → Neva
'Sinwar designed what happened on October 7 — the massacre, the barbarism, the rapes and cruelty,' Hikind said.
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Hikind → design → October
'The idea that anyone connected to education — who believes Sinwar is a hero — could be teaching in the classroom is incomprehensible.
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Sinwar → connect → classroom
How would we react if a teacher said Adolf Hitler was a great leader?
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Hitler → react → ?
'This teacher needs to lose his job.
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teacher → need → job
He needs to be fired — period.'
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He → need → ?
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Schools Chancellor’s Office for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment
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