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After Monsey Attack, Police Step Up Security in Jewish Neighborhoods Suspect in Monsey Stabbing Charged With Federal Hate Crimes
(30 minutes later)
Police departments on Monday stepped up their patrols in Jewish neighborhoods and stationed officers in front of synagogues across New York and New Jersey two days after a man burst into a Hasidic rabbi’s home and stabbed five Jewish people at a Hanukkah celebration. Federal prosecutors on Monday filed federal hate crimes charges against the man accused of bursting into a Hasidic rabbi’s home and stabbing five Jewish people at a Hanukkah celebration.
The police have not disclosed a motive for the attack and have yet to explain why the assailant chose to go on a bloody rampage at the house in Monsey, N.Y., a hamlet northwest of New York City with a large community of ultra-Orthodox Jews. The charges came as the police stepped up their patrols in Jewish neighborhoods and stationed officers in front of synagogues across New York and New Jersey.
The local police have not disclosed details about the motive for the attack and have yet to explain why the accused attacker, Grafton Thomas, allegedly chose to go on a bloody rampage at the house in Monsey, N.Y., a hamlet northwest of New York City with a large community of ultra-Orthodox Jews.
The assault further rattled the Jewish community in the New York region, which was already reeling from a series of anti-Semitic incidents in New York City last week and a mass shooting in Jersey City, N.J., that targeted a kosher supermarket and left three people, including two Hasidic Jews, dead earlier in the month.The assault further rattled the Jewish community in the New York region, which was already reeling from a series of anti-Semitic incidents in New York City last week and a mass shooting in Jersey City, N.J., that targeted a kosher supermarket and left three people, including two Hasidic Jews, dead earlier in the month.
“We will keep the Jewish community safe, and we have a zero tolerance when it comes to hate crimes in New York City,” New York City’s police commissioner, Dermot F. Shea, said on Monday in an interview on “CBS This Morning.”“We will keep the Jewish community safe, and we have a zero tolerance when it comes to hate crimes in New York City,” New York City’s police commissioner, Dermot F. Shea, said on Monday in an interview on “CBS This Morning.”
In an interview on Monday morning on NPR, the public radio network, Mayor Bill de Blasio said of the attacks: “We consider this a crisis. Really, there is a growing anti-Semitism problem in this whole country. It has taken a more and more violent form.”In an interview on Monday morning on NPR, the public radio network, Mayor Bill de Blasio said of the attacks: “We consider this a crisis. Really, there is a growing anti-Semitism problem in this whole country. It has taken a more and more violent form.”
Mr. de Blasio added that he had directed city schools to undertake an “intensified curriculum” focused on anti-Semitism when classes resume on Thursday. The goal, he said during the interview, was to teach young people that attacks motivated out of hate or ignorance bred only more violence.Mr. de Blasio added that he had directed city schools to undertake an “intensified curriculum” focused on anti-Semitism when classes resume on Thursday. The goal, he said during the interview, was to teach young people that attacks motivated out of hate or ignorance bred only more violence.
In Rockland County, where the Saturday attack took place, the county executive, Ed Day, announced on Monday that a private security firm would work with the police to provide armed guards to synagogues in Monsey.In Rockland County, where the Saturday attack took place, the county executive, Ed Day, announced on Monday that a private security firm would work with the police to provide armed guards to synagogues in Monsey.
“We cannot stand around and do nothing,” Mr. Day said. “We are taking proactive action in order to address the concerns, the fears that are out there.”“We cannot stand around and do nothing,” Mr. Day said. “We are taking proactive action in order to address the concerns, the fears that are out there.”
Rockland County has more than 300,000 people, and 31 percent of the population is Jewish, according to the state. It is believed to have one of the largest populations of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside of Israel.Rockland County has more than 300,000 people, and 31 percent of the population is Jewish, according to the state. It is believed to have one of the largest populations of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside of Israel.
In recent years, the area’s ultra-Orthodox population has grown as Hasidic families from the city, priced out of their neighborhoods, have relocated there.In recent years, the area’s ultra-Orthodox population has grown as Hasidic families from the city, priced out of their neighborhoods, have relocated there.
The barrage of incidents left the community feeling particularly under siege as it observed Hanukkah, a celebration of a time that Jews of yore defied external aggressors to openly practice their faith.The barrage of incidents left the community feeling particularly under siege as it observed Hanukkah, a celebration of a time that Jews of yore defied external aggressors to openly practice their faith.
“It is no longer safe to be identifiably Orthodox in the State of New York,” four Orthodox Jewish elected officials wrote in a letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo after the attack. “We cannot shop, walk down the street, send our children to school, or even worship in peace.”“It is no longer safe to be identifiably Orthodox in the State of New York,” four Orthodox Jewish elected officials wrote in a letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo after the attack. “We cannot shop, walk down the street, send our children to school, or even worship in peace.”
On Saturday night, an intruder wielding a machete broke into the home of the Hasidic rabbi, Chaim Rottenberg, during a celebration of the seventh night of Hanukkah.On Saturday night, an intruder wielding a machete broke into the home of the Hasidic rabbi, Chaim Rottenberg, during a celebration of the seventh night of Hanukkah.
A suspect, Grafton Thomas, 38, was later arrested in Harlem, about 30 miles from Monsey. On Sunday, he pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of first-degree burglary. Mr. Thomas, 38, was later arrested in Harlem, about 30 miles from Monsey. On Sunday, he pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of first-degree burglary.
A statement issued Sunday night by a lawyer, Michael Sussman, in the name of the family said Mr. Thomas “had a long history of mental illness and hospitalizations” and “no known history of anti-Semitism.”A statement issued Sunday night by a lawyer, Michael Sussman, in the name of the family said Mr. Thomas “had a long history of mental illness and hospitalizations” and “no known history of anti-Semitism.”
Mr. Thomas has not been accused of a hate crime. But on Sunday, Mr. Cuomo said he had ordered the State Police’s hate crimes force to investigate the rampage. On Sunday, Mr. Cuomo said he had ordered the State Police’s hate crimes force to investigate the rampage.
The governor also called the Monsey stabbings an “act of domestic terrorism,” the phrase that officials eventually used to describe the Jersey City shooting.The governor also called the Monsey stabbings an “act of domestic terrorism,” the phrase that officials eventually used to describe the Jersey City shooting.
In their letter to the Mr. Cuomo, the four Orthodox Jewish elected officials urged him to declare a state of emergency. They asked him to deploy the New York National Guard to protect Jewish enclaves across the state and to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate anti-Semitic violence.In their letter to the Mr. Cuomo, the four Orthodox Jewish elected officials urged him to declare a state of emergency. They asked him to deploy the New York National Guard to protect Jewish enclaves across the state and to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate anti-Semitic violence.
On Sunday, Mr. Shea, the police commissioner, said New York City had seen a 21 percent increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes this year.On Sunday, Mr. Shea, the police commissioner, said New York City had seen a 21 percent increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes this year.
Since the attack in Jersey City on Dec. 10, the Police Department had been deploying more officers to protect synagogues in New York City, Mr. Shea said. Over the weekend, it stepped up patrols in three Brooklyn neighborhoods after what officials called an “alarming” increase in incidents last week.Since the attack in Jersey City on Dec. 10, the Police Department had been deploying more officers to protect synagogues in New York City, Mr. Shea said. Over the weekend, it stepped up patrols in three Brooklyn neighborhoods after what officials called an “alarming” increase in incidents last week.
After the Monsey attack, city officials said they would add additional security cameras and light towers in those Brooklyn communities.After the Monsey attack, city officials said they would add additional security cameras and light towers in those Brooklyn communities.
Mr. Cuomo also ordered the State Police to increase patrols in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods across the state.Mr. Cuomo also ordered the State Police to increase patrols in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods across the state.
“We should be celebrating this week,” Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, the executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, said on Sunday. “Celebrating life. Not commemorating the loss of life and the attack on life.”“We should be celebrating this week,” Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, the executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, said on Sunday. “Celebrating life. Not commemorating the loss of life and the attack on life.”