'I stand with you': NYPD head Jessica Tisch speaks at NYC synagogue a week after antisemitic attack
The commissioner said the NYPD has been tracking attacks targeting Jewish victims across the globe ever since Hamas and terrorist groups attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed the Central Synagogue congregation on Friday, telling members "I stand with you" following an antisemitic attack that occurred at the Midtown house of worship just the previous week. The incident involved Larry Montes, 46, who was accused of assaulting a 65-year-old Black security guard and spitting in his face, as well as striking a 63-year-old congregant.
Tisch emphasized the disproportionate number of hate crimes targeting Jews, who comprise only 10% of the city's population but are targeted in about half of all hate crimes. Since the Hamas attack in October 2023, Tisch noted that the Jewish community has been repeatedly targeted, with rhetoric increasingly shifting from slogans to direct calls for violence.
She stressed that the NYPD is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of Jewish New Yorkers and prevent such attacks, boasting of their 35,000-strong force and the city's advanced counterterrorism capacity. After her speech, the congregation gave Tisch a standing ovation, and her remarks were met with support on social media.
Montes was charged with hate crimes and damage to religious property, facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
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