Bronx man charged with hate crimes after disrupting Manhattan synagogue service

New York police say a 46-year-old Bronx man has been charged with hate crimes after a violent disruption at a Manhattan synagogue during Friday night Shabbat services.

Larry Montes was taken into custody at Central Synagogue on the Upper East Side and charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, according to the NYPD.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the scene in a statement posted to X, saying that as synagogue security tried to escort Montes out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team.

The incident sent worshippers scrambling, with CNN reporting shouts of panic inside the sanctuary. A 63-year-old congregant suffered a cut to her lip and injuries to her right forearm, the outlet said.

The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from city officials, coming amid a broader rise in reported antisemitic incidents across New York. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement on X that every New Yorker must be able to practice their faith without fear of violence, calling the act despicable and vowing that his administration would do everything possible to protect Jewish New Yorkers.

According to The New York Times, as of August the city had recorded 360 hate crimes this year, 205 of which targeted Jewish people. That marks a continued upward trend in anti-Jewish incidents that has been a growing concern for law enforcement and community leaders.

Sources told CNN that Montes has a history of mental health issues, though it remains unclear how that will factor into the legal proceedings. He has not yet entered a plea.