The hateful lunatic who stormed into a Manhattan synagogue during a Shabbat service Friday told cops that Jews were “swine” after the unhinged attack, prosecutors said as he was ordered held on bail late Saturday.
Larry Montes, 46, was arraigned on hate crime charges just before midnight in Manhattan Criminal Court, where Judge Janice Chen set bail at $10,000 cash and $30,000 in bonds over the objection of the Manhattan DA’s office, which asked for $50,000 cash and $150,000 in bonds.
After the sick rampage at the Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue, Montes allegedly admitted to cops that his actions were religiously motivated, and called those worshiping inside the synagogue ‘Swine’ and ‘Fake Jews,’” ADA Ali Fazal said.
“In addition to having animus towards Jewish individuals, the defendant admitted to having racial animus towards black people,” the ADA said at the hearing.
The 46-year-old also admitted to acting “on instinct” and said “he was mad,” prosecutors said.
The Bronx native was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime, two counts of aggravated harassment and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime Friday evening.
Montes allegedly barged into Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue around 6 p.m. Friday during a Shabbat service and unleashed violent chaos.
“As people tried to peacefully worship, the defendant interrupted the service,” Fazal said, by “screaming” and charging towards the “bimah, where the Rabbi was presiding over the service.”
Prosecutors said Montes then “grabbed and threw two religious candles and candle holders, causing them to break,” valued at around $10,000 each.
“As the rabbi attempted to retreat from the attack,” Montes continued to “terrorize” the worshippers, the ADA argued.
The 46-year-old assailant “intentionally struck a 63-year-old worshipper’s face, causing her to sustain the laceration on her lip and fall to the ground,” Fazal said.
“Before exiting the building, the defendant turned his attention away from the worshippers onto the security guard…a 65-year-old African American man,” the ADA added.
He also allegedly yelled “f–k the Jews,” sources said.
Judge Chen issued orders of protection for both the congregants and the security officer of the synagogue who tried to protect the candles and helped escort Montes out of the building.
In a statement to The Post, the Simon Wiesenthal Center said Friday’s attack at Central Synagogue “is not just a crime; it is a chilling reminder of the vulnerability that has shadowed Jewish life for generations.
“For Jews in New York, the sanctuary of the synagogue is meant to be a refuge, not a place where faith and fear are forced into uneasy proximity,” the statement said in part.
Prosecutors said Montes has prior criminal history from June 2026 and June 2024 that included stealing headphones at Best Buy where he “brandished a knife” when a security guard tried to stop him.
Montes’ public defender argued that his criminal history related to misdemeanors and that he participated in a program and “came to over 20 appearances for almost every month, for two years, on that case.”
He is due back in court on Aug. 20.
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