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Man indicted on hate crime charges after disrupting NYC Shabbat services
By
Ryan Kost
Published Sep 9, 2026
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By
Ryan Kost
Published Sep 9, 2026
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A Bronx man was indicted Wednesday on hate crime charges for allegedly disrupting Shabbat services at Central Synagogue in Midtown last month. The event drew national and international attention at the time.
Larry Montes, 46, faces two counts of second-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime and one count each of attempted second-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault as a hate crime and criminal interference with religious worship, among other charges, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
“Places of worship should be safe havens, not scenes of violence and hate,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Montes allegedly approached the front of the synagogue just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 14. He began yelling that he was “Hashem,” a Hebrew word used to refer to God, according to prosecutors. He then knocked down two candles and candleholders, breaking them and causing more than $7,000 in damage.
Then Montes began moving down the main aisle, yelling antisemitic remarks, according to prosecutors. At one point, he allegedly struck a 63-year-old congregant in the face, knocking her to the ground. As security escorted Montes out, he made a racist remark to the guard, spit in his face and headbutted him, prosecutors said.
Video of the incident spread quickly online. It shows a man moving down the synagogue's aisle, shouting as people in attendance rushed to get out of the way.
Prosecutors said Montes’ actions were both antisemitic and anti-Black.
When Montes was arraigned last month, he pleaded not guilty. An attorney representing Montes could not immediately be reached for comment.
Montes also faces federal hate crimes charges.
Central Synagogue is among the city’s most well-known places of worship. City Council Speaker Julie Menin is a member, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has described it as the congregation she grew up in.
“Our synagogues should be sacred spaces where New Yorkers can worship safely, but Larry Montes violated that sanctity when he disrupted a service at Central Synagogue and assaulted a congregant,” Tisch said in a statement.
The attack drew wide condemnation from state and city leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
A week after the incident, Tisch addressed the congregation and pledged the department's support for Jewish institutions.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
Ryan Kost
Ryan Kost is a reporter on the day-of news desk, where he covers breaking news and writes enterprise stories about jails, courts, prosecutors and government accountability. His work focuses on the public institutions that shape life in New York. Before joining the newsroom, he lead a multi-part investigation with Columbia Journalism Investigations and New York Focus into how New York prosecutors handle wrongful conviction claims. He's also been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Got a tip? Signal: ryankost.20
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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