Antisemitic attacks and NYPD response in New York City

Following a violent antisemitic attack at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch pledged increased protection for the Jewish community. The incident involved an individual, Larry Montes, who was charged with assaulting a woman and a security guard while shouting racial and antisemitic slurs. Montes faces hate crime charges in both state and federal courts.

Commissioner Tisch highlighted a trend in which Jewish New Yorkers, despite making up roughly 10% of the city’s population, account for approximately half of confirmed hate-crime victims. Data shows an 8.5% increase in hate crimes against Jewish residents this year, including a 53.3% spike in antisemitic incidents in July 2026 compared to the previous year.

In response, the NYPD is intensifying surveillance through its Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau and a specialized hate crimes unit. The Commissioner described her commitment as “deeply personal,” emphasizing that the department will act as a partner to Jewish institutions. The response also included expressions of community solidarity from an interfaith group of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish leaders.