In a clear hate crime, a man of Jewish descent and another of Asian descent were stabbed this Thursday near a synagogue in Manhattan while the Tisha B'Av holiday was being celebrated. The suspect committed the act shouting "Allahu Akbar." Fortunately, the two injured individuals are out of danger.
"The New York Police Department arrested Raúl Morales, 51, in connection with both assaults, and no other suspects are being sought," said Commissioner Jessica Tisch. "Detectives are continuing to work on the case to determine the motive, but according to the statements of the victims and witnesses, Morales shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the attacks. The department is currently assessing whether this is a potential hate crime."
The assault occurred on Tisha B'Av, the annual day of mourning in Judaism that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history. The incident took place just hours after Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a video stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in the city, calling him a "war criminal."
Strong criticism of Mamdani for this terrorist attack
In a statement, Mamdani acknowledged that, according to reports, the terrorist shouted 'Allahu Akbar' while attacking. The government chief suggested that mental health "could have been a determining factor" and stated that authorities "are investigating the stabbings as possible hate crimes."
