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Undercover cop dressed as religious Jew blows his cover with cellphone on Shabbat: report

Police officers went undercover as Hasidic Jews to monitor protests against racism and police brutality in a majority-Jewish New Jersey town, Mishpacha reported.

The rally in Lakewood, N.J. on Saturday was one of hundreds around the country over the weekend protesting the killing of an African-American man, George Floyd, while being forcibly detained by police. A video captured by Mishpacha showed at least three men in Lakewood dressed in the black outfits typical of Orthodox men. Two of the men were wearing hats and one was wearing a kippah; one of the apparent officers had peyot, long sidelocks.

Unfortunately for the officers, one of them appeared to be holding a cell phone – which would be forbidden to Orthodox Jews on Shabbat.

The apparent officers’ faulty garb was widely mocked on social media.

Aiden Pink is the deputy news editor of the Forward. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @aidenpink

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