The episode seems to have been inspired by an incident which took place in December 2, 1978, in the Orthodox Jewish community of Borough Park, Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, over the murder of an elderly Hasidic man. A state assemblyman, by the name of Samuel Hirsch was injured.
With the five non-speaking rioters' roles, this episode has one of the largest casts in the series.
The detective assignment board on the wall lists a name of N. Foster. The unit property master is Neil Foster.
When Harris blows smoke in Levitt's face in the opening scene, Levitt says, "Take a puff, it's springtime". This was a reference to a TV commercial for Salem cigarettes airing at the time.
Lt. Luger makes reference to the rioters bearing resemblance to the Smith Brothers. William and Andrew Smith were two brothers featured in the advertising of Smith Brothers Cough Drops, first sold in 1852 by their father James Smith, who purchased the recipe from Sly Hawkins, a journey peddler. Upon the death of their father, the two brothers took over he company and it has become one of the most recognized brands of cough drops in the United States.