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Antisemitism Watch - August 15, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to antisemitism. Watch I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
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  Speaker 1: today with a frightening incident at Manhattan's Central Synagogue, where
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  Speaker 1: Shabbat's services were violently disrupted on Friday evening. According to
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  Speaker 1: reporting from The Daily News and The Times of Israel,
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  Speaker 1: a forty six year old Bronx man identified as Larry
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  Speaker 1: Montes stormed into the synagogue, shouting and acting erratically as
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  Speaker 1: security attempted to escort him out. Police said Montes struck
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  Speaker 1: a congregant, then spat at and head budded a security guard.
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  Speaker 1: The Times of Israel reported that Montes also allegedly broke
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  Speaker 1: two religious candles valued at twenty thousand dollars. The NYPD's
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  Speaker 1: Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the assault, and Montes
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  Speaker 1: faces multiple charges, including assault and criminal mischief as hate crimes,
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  Speaker 1: as confirmed by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish and reported by
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  Speaker 1: CBS News. Commissioner Tish, who attended Central Synagogue growing up,
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  Speaker 1: called the incident deeply painful and stated that a place
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  Speaker 1: of worship should never be a crime scene. New York
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  Speaker 1: City Mayor Zuren Mamdani said he was horrified, emphasizing that
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  Speaker 1: every New Yorker must be able to observe their religion
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  Speaker 1: without fear of violence. Governor Cathy Hotchel condemned the act
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  Speaker 1: as appalling. This incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened
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  Speaker 1: concern over antisemitism in New York City. The Times of
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  Speaker 1: Israel noted that Jews are disproportionately targeted in hate crimes
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  Speaker 1: in the city, with officials and community leaders having previously
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  Speaker 1: warned that anti Israel rhetoric from some officials may be
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  Speaker 1: stoking hatred against Jewish New Yorkers. Turning now to Australia,
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  Speaker 1: where a French national has been denied bail following an
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  Speaker 1: incident involving an Israeli man in Cairns. According to the
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  Speaker 1: Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Leo Raymond Coteine, twenty five, is accused
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  Speaker 1: of pulling a twenty centimeter knife on the Israeli man
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  Speaker 1: and making verb anti Israel remarks such as you kill
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  Speaker 1: people in Gaza. He was charged with common assault with
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  Speaker 1: hate crime circumstances. In opposing bail, police cited the risk
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  Speaker 1: of further offending and endangering the public, particularly those of
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  Speaker 1: Israeli or Jewish faith. The Australian Jewish Association President Robert
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  Speaker 1: Gregory commented that antisemitism in Australia has deteriorated significantly, urging
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  Speaker 1: visitors to exercise caution. I'm Rachel Adler. Thank you for
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  Speaker 1: listening to Antisemitism Watch. This report was generated with AI
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  Speaker 1: assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with
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  Speaker 1: primary sources.