Man Arrested After Disrupting Shabbat Service, Assaulting Congregants at Manhattan Synagogue

Police arrested a 46-year-old Bronx resident Friday evening after he allegedly disrupted Shabbat services and assaulted worshippers at Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Larry Montes faced two counts of assault as a hate crime, one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, and additional charges stemming from the incident.

During the disruption, Montes struck a congregant, damaged synagogue property, and headbutted a security team member after spitting on them as they escorted him from the building, according to Tisch’s statement. An NYPD sergeant working security detail at the facility quickly intervened and took Montes into custody without delay.

Tisch reported that no one sustained serious injuries and those present were evaluated on scene. She disclosed that she grew up attending the synagogue and called the incident deeply painful, noting that places of worship should never become crime scenes. Additional NYPD resources were deployed to the location as the investigation continued with no known further threats identified.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the attack, stating he was horrified by the assault during religious services. He emphasized that every New Yorker deserves to practice their faith without fear of violence and pledged city resources to protect Jewish residents.