Hate crime charges were filed against a 46-year-old Bronx resident following an incident at Central Synagogue in Manhattan during Friday evening services. According to a statement from Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the man disrupted the gathering, which was being livestreamed, and engaged in a physical altercation as he was being escorted from the premises. The individual struck a congregation member, damaged synagogue property, and subsequently assaulted a security team member through spitting and a head-butt, Tisch said.
Larry Montes faces two counts of assault motivated by bias and one count of criminal mischief motivated by bias, along with additional charges. A police sergeant assigned to provide paid security at the synagogue took the suspect into custody immediately. According to police, no injuries were reported as serious.
City and state officials responded to the incident with statements condemning the attack. Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized the assault as “horrifying” and stated that all New Yorkers should be able to practice their religion without experiencing violence. The incident drew condemnation from multiple high-ranking state and federal officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Following the disruption, the synagogue received additional police security, and services resumed the following evening. Rabbi Rebecca Thau addressed the congregation, noting the tension between the spiritual focus the community sought and the intrusion of external difficulties into their observance.
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