Mamdani "shocked": Suspected hate crime at a synagogue in New York
A man was arrested during prayers at the Central Synagogue in Manhattan after he began to disrupt, struck a member of the congregation, and caused property damage. According to the NYPD, the suspect spat on a security guard and headbutted him before being arrested. The mayor wrote: "There is no place for this heinous act in our city," the number of hate crimes against Jews has risen by 8.5% in the first seven months of his term.
A violent incident occurred last night (between Friday and Saturday) during Shabbat prayers at the Central Synagogue, one of the most prominent synagogues in Manhattan. A man present at the scene disrupted the prayer, attacked a worshiper and a security guard, and caused damage to the synagogue's property before being arrested by the police.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, security personnel tried to remove the suspect from the premises after he disrupted the prayer. During the confrontation, he struck one of the members of the congregation and caused property damage. Afterward, he spat on one of the security staff members and headbutted him.
A police sergeant stationed at the synagogue as part of a security assignment intervened immediately and subdued the suspect. The injured were checked at the scene and their condition was defined as good. The police emphasized that no one was seriously injured and that there is no known additional threat against the synagogue at this stage. Additional police forces were deployed to the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
As of now, the authorities have not released the identity of the suspect, the charges attributed to him, or the motive for the act. The police also did not announce whether the incident is being officially investigated as a hate crime.
Tisch said she spoke with the synagogue's rabbi after the incident:
"I feel relieved that no one was seriously injured. Central Synagogue is the place where I grew up. In moments of joy and sorrow, it has always been a place of comfort and peace for me. What happened there tonight is very painful. A house of worship should never become a crime scene."
Mamdani: "Shocked by the attack"
New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani, known for his sharp anti-Israel positions, stated that he is "shocked by the attack during the prayer." According to him:
"I can only imagine the pain and fear that such an attack, during Shabbat prayer, causes to the community and to the Jews of New York across the city. Every person must be able to practice their religion without fear of violence. There is no place for this heinous act in our city."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the incident "shocking" and added: "New York's Jews have every right to pray openly, with pride, and without fear. I am grateful that the suspect is in custody and that no one was seriously injured." City Council Speaker Julie Menin said that the attack on worshipers and security personnel "deepens the fear that many already feel," while New York State Attorney General Letitia James defined the act as "shocking and unacceptable."
CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Mark Treyger, called the incident a "dangerous hate crime" and demanded that the attacker be brought to justice. "Disrupting Shabbat prayer, attacking worshipers and security personnel, and desecrating the sanctity of a synagogue are heinous acts - especially at a time when antisemitism and threats against New York's Jews have reached alarming levels," he said.
According to current NYPD data, the number of hate crimes against Jews has risen by 8.5% in the first seven months of Mamdani's term. Antisemitic incidents accounted for 57% of all hate crimes in the city, and in the month of July alone, an increase of 53% was recorded compared to the same period last year.
