NEW YORK, New York — A Bronx man faces multiple hate crime charges after allegedly disrupting Friday night Shabbat services at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue, assaulting two people and damaging property before being arrested by an NYPD officer working security.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Larry Montes, 46, struck a congregant while synagogue security was escorting him out, damaged synagogue property, then spat at and head-butted a member of the security team. An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue immediately intervened and took Montes into custody.
Montes was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, along with additional offenses. No one was seriously injured, and those hurt were evaluated at the scene. The charges are allegations, and Montes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “horrifying” and said every New Yorker must be able to practice religion without fear of violence. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Chuck Schumer also condemned the attack.
Additional officers were deployed to the synagogue, where Shabbat services continued Saturday.
Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis separately blamed Mamdani’s criticism of Israel for contributing to the climate surrounding the attack. Police have not publicly linked the alleged assault to Mamdani’s rhetoric, and no evidence cited by authorities establishes such a connection.
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