Man arrested for antisemitic threats to Jewish family in Miami Beach park

A 32-year-old man was arrested in Miami Beach after approaching a Jewish father and his two young children at a public park, shouting antisemitic slurs and threatening violence, prompting the father to draw a firearm in self-defense, authorities reported.

The incident unfolded Thursday afternoon at Stillwater Park, located at 8440 Hawthorne Avenue, during the first day of Passover. According to police, Ahmad Zeeshan walked up to the family as they prepared to leave the park and asked if they were Jewish. Upon receiving an affirmative response, Zeeshan allegedly began yelling vulgar insults, including calling them "dirty people," and advanced toward them while making threats to physically attack. The father, fearing for the safety of his children, ages five and seven, repeatedly asked Zeeshan to back away before displaying his legally carried handgun, which caused Zeeshan to retreat momentarily.

A bystander intervened by positioning herself between the family and Zeeshan and offered to record the encounter while calling police. Zeeshan also filmed the situation before driving away in his vehicle. Both the father and Zeeshan contacted authorities; Zeeshan claimed the father had...