A 46-year-old Bronx resident has been charged with multiple hate crimes following an altercation at Central Synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side during Friday evening Shabbat services.
Larry Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime, one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime and additional charges stemming from the incident on Lexington Avenue. An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue arrested Montes at the scene, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Montes disrupted services before security personnel began escorting him from the building. During that process, he allegedly struck a congregant, damaged synagogue property, and spat at and headbutted a member of the security team.
The NYPD reported that no one sustained serious injuries. Those who were struck were evaluated on-site and released. Tisch said "additional NYPD resources have been deployed to the synagogue" and that there are "no known additional threats at this time."
Tisch told reporters she had spoken with the synagogue's rabbi and confirmed that additional security presence has been established. She disclosed a personal connection to the institution, noting that Central Synagogue was where she grew up.
"A place of worship should never be a crime scene," Tisch said in a statement.
The incident prompted a response from Mayor Eric Adams, who said he was "horrified" by the assault. "Every New Yorker must be able to observe their religion without fear of violence," Adams said.
Central Synagogue, located at 652 Lexington Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets, is one of Manhattan's oldest Jewish institutions and a registered historic landmark. The congregation traces its origins to 1846, and the current building, completed in 1872, is one of the oldest synagogues still in use in New York City.
The incident arrives amid a documented surge in antisemitic incidents across New York City in recent years.
