A man from the Bronx is facing a list of hate crime charges stemming from an antisemitic attack on Aug. 14 in which he allegedly assaulted a member of the congregation and security inside Midtown\u2019s Central Synagogue.<\/p>\n
Police arrested 46-year-old Larry Montes, charging him with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among a slew of other charges, after he entered the house of worship, disrupted Shabbat services on Friday night and proceeded to go on a violent rampage by striking a member of the congregation and damaging synagogue property.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Authorities said Montes also spit at and head-butted a member of the house of worship\u2019s security team. An NYPD<\/a> sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue immediately stepped in and took Montes into custody.\u00a0<\/p>\n Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch wrote on X that she spoke with the synagogue\u2019s rabbi and reported that no one was seriously injured. She also said that additional security was sent to the temple to help keep it safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThose who were hurt were evaluated at the scene and are doing well,\u201d the commissioner wrote. \u201cThere are no known additional threats at this time, and additional NYPD resources have been deployed to the synagogue.\u201d<\/p>\n She also shared a personal note about the Central Synagogue being part of her childhood.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI understand the sanctity of this space and its meaning for congregants. Central Synagogue is where I grew up. In joy and in sorrow, it has always been a place of comfort and peace,\u201d her message said in part, adding that the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.<\/p>\n New Yorkers react with outrage\u00a0<\/p>\n Videos of Montes\u2019 horrific attacks inside the synagogue spread on social media throughout the weekend, which sparked immediate and ongoing outrage from both Jewish and non-Jewish New Yorkers alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mayor Zohran Mamdani, although a staunch and vocal critic of Israel\u2019s government, said he was \u201chorrified\u201d by the incident.\n<\/p>\n \u201cEvery New Yorker must be able to observe their religion without fear of violence,\u201d he said. \u201cThis despicable act has no place in our city, and our administration will do everything in our power to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe.\u201d<\/p>\n But on Sunday, Ofir Akunis, Consul General of Israel in New York, bit back at the mayor, saying the attack on Central Synagogue is a \u201cdirect result of Mayor Mamdani\u2019s sustained campaign of incitement,\u201d alluding to his stance on Israel.<\/p>\n \u201cI warned that words would turn into actions, and that is exactly what is happening. Mamdani has failed to protect New York\u2019s Jews. It is not enough to issue weak condemnations. Action is needed,\u201d Akunis said. \u201cI am thankful that no congregants were seriously injured and thank the NYPD for their swift investigation into this incident.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that attacks on houses of worship are unacceptable.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI am appalled but sadly not surprised by the attack on Central Synagogue during Shabbat Services on Friday night. Shabbat is the most sacred day of the week, and Jewish New Yorkers have every right to observe their ancient tradition without fear or violence. Jewish New Yorkers are now being targeted inside their houses of worship. This is completely unacceptable, \u201d Akunis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose mother and grandmother survived the Holocaust, was outraged not only at the recent incident at Central Synagogue, but at the ongoing spree of antisemitic attacks happening throughout the city.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is happening now in our city is unrecognizable and horrifying,\u201d she said. \u201cWe will not allow hate to divide us or fear to silence us. We will continue fighting for a city where every New Yorker can live safely and proudly, no matter their faith.\u201d<\/p>\n The Simon Wiesenthal Center released a statement on Saturday about the attack, saying that it makes Jewish people feel unsafe in a place that should be a safe haven, and that such violence threatens their ability to practice their faith openly without fear.<\/p>\n \u201cThe attack at Central Synagogue during Shabbat services is not just a crime; it is a chilling reminder of the vulnerability that has shadowed Jewish life for generations,\u201d part of the statement read. \u201cFor Jews in New York, the sanctuary of the synagogue is meant to be a refuge, not a place where faith and fear are forced into uneasy proximity. Violence on Shabbat is never only about the victims in the room; it is an assault on the very possibility of Jewish life lived openly, together, and without dread.\u201d<\/p>\n Hate crimes in NYC are on the rise. Confirmed hate crimes in the city rose 9.4% in the first seven months of the year, with anti-Jewish incidents accounting for 56.9% of cases and increased 8.5% from last year, according to the NYPD<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In July 2026 alone, there was a total of 50 reported hate crimes, with anti-Jewish hate crimes making up a bulk of that number at 29, according to the NYPD.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n