Justice Department charges NYC man with federal hate crimes for attack at Manhattan synagogue

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that a New York City man has been charged with federal hate crimes for an alleged attack at a Manhattan synagogue last week.

The DOJ said Larry Montes has been charged with two counts of committing federal hate crimes in connection with his race- and religious-based assaults of a congregant and a security guard during last week's Shabbat service, along with one count of destruction of religious property resulting in bodily injury.

“These charges serve as notice that the Department of Justice will intervene to protect the public in the face of antisemitic and racially motivated attacks,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said. “The Civil Rights Division stands ready to combat assaults against worshipers and houses of worship. 

"Americans’ fundamental right to worship without fear of bias-motivated violence is sacrosanct and must be protected at all costs," she added.

Montes allegedly disrupted a Shabbat service last Friday by shouting things and then allegedly physically striking and causing damage to two ceremonial silver candlesticks with gold accents. 

The suspect also cursed at the synagogue's head of security when being escorted out and punched a woman who was attending the service. He also cursed at another security guard during his arrest and headbutted the guard's eye near his left eye socket.

Montes additionally told law enforcement in an interview after the incident that he “will never affiliate with no filthy f***ing synagogues, either here or in f***ing Israel.”

The suspect's hate crime charges carry maximum sentences of 10 years in prison, and his one count of damage to religious property resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.