The NYPD dispersed crowds of Hasidic Jews who showed up to get free food at a Brooklyn Yeshiva amid the coronavirus outbreak in New York on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The free-food offer at the Yeshiva on Keap Street near Division Avenue in Williamsburg drew long lines of people from the community when they opened their doors from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., police said.
“More people showed up than initially anticipated,” a police spokesperson said.
“Officers from the 90 Precinct along with the Shomrim Patrol responded to assist with social distancing for those individuals on line,” the NYPD added.
By afternoon, crowds of people from the community were seen about two blocks away near Division Avenue and Wilson Street, a witness told The Post.
“The crowd seemed to be mostly women and children,” the witness said.
“Cops showed up, and they were using their megaphones to tell them to spread out and go home,” they added.
Last week, members of the Orthodox community openly defied social distancing orders Tuesday by hosting raucous weddings with hundreds of guests.
