DEARBORN, Mich. – A Dearborn man charged with ethnic intimidation after an antisemitic incident is going on a hunger strike behind bars, according to his family.
Hassan Chokr’s brother, Hussein Chockr, said mental health struggles are at the root of his brother’s recent behavior and disrespectful outbursts in court.
Hassan Chokr was arrested Friday (Dec. 2), accused of threatening pre-schoolers and their parents in front of Temple Beth El. He’s facing ethnic intimidation charges for the incident.
“He did not do things that were right when he went to Temple Beth El,” said Hussein Chockr. “That’s not right. That was wrong.”
However, Hussein Chockr is defending his brother. He said there’s no merit to any of the charges against Hassan Chokr, including the 2020 assault charge stemming from an angry outburst at the Islamic Center of America.
Hussein Chokr said his brother began struggling with mental health issues during the pandemic.
“Coronavirus came, he got sick and the PTSD from losing his business,” Hussein Chokr said. “All this took him to a different mental state of mind, and this is when his mental health crisis started.”
Read: Man charged with ethnic intimidation goes off on Oakland County judge during hearing
Hussein Chokr said his brother needs mental health support, not a jail cell.
“Every time he has a mental health episode, they’ll throw him behind bars, and when we asked to be petitioned to get mental health treatment, they never ever helped us or reached out,” Hussein Chokr said. “They left us crying in our houses.”