Vandals Smash NYC Subway OMNY Machines Amid Anti-Israel Protest
Two individuals damaged seven payment readers at a Brooklyn station, citing alleged ties to the Israeli military and concerns about data tracking.
Two masked individuals vandalized seven OMNY machines at the Church Avenue subway station in Brooklyn last week, according to authorities and video footage.
The incident occurred around 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday, when one vandal used a drill and another tool to destroy the tap-to-pay machines. A second individual, dressed in black, stood on a folding chair to spray paint security cameras within the station. The graffiti included the messages "OMNY SURVEILS, FIGHT BACK," "LIVE FREE, RIDE FREE, F–K THE NYPD," and "STOP THE GENOCIDE. FREE PALESTINE."
Flyers left at the scene accused the OMNY system of tracking rider data and claimed its parent company had ties to the Israeli military. One flyer stated, "Every time you tap, you send money to a war profiteer."
Law enforcement sources estimate the damaged OMNY machines were worth approximately $2,600 each, totaling $18,200. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reported that the readers were repaired shortly after the incident. No arrests have been made, and the New York Police Department is investigating.