Man Charged With Federal Hate Crimes in NYC Synagogue Attack

Larry Montes, already facing state charges, has been charged with federal hate crimes in Manhattan federal court for allegedly attacking a woman and a security guard at Central Synagogue in New York City during Shabbat services on Friday, prosecutors said. Montes, who is already facing state-level hate crime charges, allegedly struck a 63-year-old woman as security was trying to remove him from the synagogue. He allegedly spat at and head-butted a security team member and damaged synagogue property, authorities said.

The woman suffered a cut on her lip and a forearm injury. Montes is charged federally with two counts of committing hate crimes and one count of damage to religious property resulting in bodily injury, according to Manhattan federal prosecutors. The incident took place after 6pm as Shabbat services were getting started, and was visible on a livestream of the services.

The criminal complaint from the Southern District of New York said Montes, who was sitting in one of the synagogue's rows, stood up about nine minutes into the service, shouting: "You know who the fuck I am! He then allegedly went up to the stage and "physically struck with his arm two ceremonial silver candlesticks with gold accents, causing them to fall to the ground. Both candlestick bases were bent and some accents were damaged, prosecutors alleged.

When the synagogue's head of security tried removing him, Montes allegedly said "fuck you people" and "I don't fuck with you people. Montes told the man he head-butted, who is Black, "fuck you" with a racial slur, according to the complaint. In a post-arrest interview, Montes allegedly said "fuck the Jews … it's racial, and: "I will never affiliate with no filthy fucking synagogues, either here or in fucking Israel.

Montes also allegedly said that he felt disrespected during the service and "got up, start some shit, [and] smacked somebody around. Asked why he felt disrespected, Montes allegedly told police: "It's all a racial thing" and "all religious motivated. When asked why he used a racial slur against the Black security officer, Montes allegedly said: "Listen, I have racial issues.

OK, I'm straight to the point. A New York Police Department sergeant assigned to Central Synagogue intervened right away and arrested Montes, authorities said. Manhattan US attorney Jamie McDonald said in a press release: "Today, the Southern District of New York filed federal charges against Larry Montes for his violent, hate-motivated attack during Shabbat services at Central Synagogue on August 14, in which he disrupted worship, struck a congregant, damaged synagogue property, and spat on and head-butted a security guard.

NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch commented: "As alleged in the complaint, Larry Montes brought violence to Jewish New Yorkers engaged in prayer when he disrupted Shabbat services at Central Synagogue in Manhattan. She added: I am grateful that an NYPD sergeant was there to take him into custody, and for the ongoing efforts of our Hate Crimes Task Force and our federal partners to hold Montes accountable for his alleged crimes. Contact information for Montes's attorney was not immediately available.