New York man called in bomb threats to Brookline hotel flying Palestinian flag, police say
Freundlich faces one felony count of making a bomb or hijacking threat, per court records. No arrests appear to have been made.
The man's identity was first reported by
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Reached by phone on Thursday, Freundlich told the Globe he had 'nothing to say' about the charges, adding that 'I don't think it would be helpful.' He declined to confirm whether he had retained an attorney or been in contact with law enforcement.
The Iris Hotel drew heated criticism after it flew a Palestinian flag on the weekend of April 12, according to police reports obtained by the Globe. Hotel staff told police they had received numerous phone calls accusing them of supporting Hamas and other terrorist groups.
On April 18, staff reported multiple phone calls from the same caller who claimed he wanted to book a room, per the reports. The caller allegedly told the receptionist 'there should be no Jews staying there,' adding that a 'bomb would go off' and that he would 'make sure something blows up' while he was there.
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Police identified Freundlich as the caller after a review of phone provider information, per the reports.
Management at the hotel did not return a request for comment on Thursday.
Wagner Hospitality Management, which operates the Iris Hotel, said at the time the flag was displayed in honor of US Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, who was staying at the hotel.
Tlaib was
The management group wrote
'This flag should not be a contentious symbol and we would show the same respect for any dignitary choosing to stay with us regardless of their heritage or ethnicity,' the group wrote. 'We have many Jewish guests staying at our hotel and we respect everyone.'
Wagner Hospitality is owned by Anwar Faisal, according to state filings. Faisal,
Brookline police said that multiple agencies took part in the investigation. Kristen Setera, an FBI spokesperson, confirmed the agency's involvement. Setera directed further comment to local law enforcement.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
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