A 46-year-old Bronx man stormed a Friday night Shabbat service at one of Manhattan's most prominent synagogues, attacked two people, and now faces multiple hate crime charges, while Israel's consul general placed blame squarely on Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Larry Montes entered Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue during the August 12 Shabbat service, disrupted worship, and turned violent when security moved to escort him out. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced late Friday that Montes struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team. An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue arrested him on the spot.
Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among other charges. Two people were hurt. Both were evaluated at the scene and described as doing well. But the incident immediately ignited a political firestorm over whether New York City's leadership has done enough to protect Jewish residents, and whether the mayor's own rhetoric has made things worse.
The charges grew sharper after Montes's arraignment. Prosecutors revealed that Montes allegedly admitted to police that his actions were religiously motivated. He reportedly called worshippers "swine" and "fake Jews" after the attack, the New York Post reported. He was ordered held on bail.
The 63-year-old worshipper Montes struck suffered injuries. He also destroyed religious candles valued at approximately $10,000 each. Beyond the hate crime counts, Montes was charged with two counts of aggravated harassment.
Assistant District Attorney Ali Fazal told the court that the hatred extended beyond Jewish people:
"In addition to having animus towards Jewish individuals, the defendant admitted to having racial animus towards black people."
The Simon Wiesenthal Center weighed in on the case with a pointed statement:
"For 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."
Tisch moved quickly to reassure the congregation. She said she spoke with the rabbi of Central Synagogue after the incident and expressed relief that no one was seriously injured. Additional NYPD resources were deployed to the synagogue, and police officers remained on site as Shabbat services continued into Saturday.
Tisch described the sequence of events in a social media post:
"As synagogue security was escorting him out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team."
She added that an NYPD sergeant on a paid detail "immediately stepped in and took the individual into custody." The commissioner said there were "no known additional threats at this time" and that the investigation remained ongoing.
Mamdani's record on issues affecting Jewish New Yorkers has drawn sustained scrutiny. The mayor has previously doubled down on attacks against AIPAC even as Jewish leaders raised antisemitism concerns about his rhetoric.
Ofir Akunis, the consul general of Israel in New York, did not hold back. He connected the synagogue attack to what he called the mayor's pattern of inflammatory statements about Israel and its leaders. Akunis posted on social media:
"The attack at Manhattan's Central Synagogue is a direct result of Mayor Mamdani's sustained campaign of incitement. I warned that words would turn into actions, and that is exactly what is happening."
He continued: "Mamdani has failed to protect New York's Jews. It is not enough to issue lukewarm condemnations. Action is needed."
Akunis's accusation is a diplomatic statement, not a legal finding. But it carries weight coming from a foreign government's official representative in New York, and it reflects a broader frustration among Jewish leaders who have repeatedly confronted Mamdani over his rhetoric. Earlier this year, Jewish leaders publicly demanded Mamdani "stop fanning the flames" after a separate series of violent incidents.
For his part, Mamdani posted a condemnation on the official NYC Mayor account. He called the incident part of a broader fight against bigotry:
"Our administration will always stand against bigotry in all its forms. We will use every tool at our disposal to confront antisemitism and keep Jewish New Yorkers, and all New Yorkers, safe."
AP News reported that Mamdani also called the incident "horrifying" and said all New Yorkers must be able to practice their religion without fear of violence.
Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the attack as well, posting: "What happened at Central Synagogue tonight is appalling. Jewish New Yorkers have every right to worship openly, proudly, and without fear."
The condemnations came swiftly. Whether they amount to anything more than words is the question Akunis and others are pressing. Mamdani's politically charged rhetoric on Israel has been a recurring source of controversy throughout his tenure. He previously reversed a campaign pledge about arresting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and an aide once confronted ABC executives after a television host labeled the then-candidate an antisemite.
Rabbi Rebecca Thau of Central Synagogue offered a quieter but pointed reflection on the evening. She acknowledged the tension between worship and the violence that interrupted it:
"We wanted to focus on the beauty of our liturgy and the sanctity of the Sabbath, but somehow the feeling of the imperfect and cruel world keeps breaking in."
Shabbat services continued the next morning with police officers stationed at the synagogue. The congregation returned to pray under guard, a fact that speaks for itself in a city whose leaders keep promising safety and keep falling short of delivering it.
Condemnations are easy. Protecting people at prayer takes more than a social media post.