Two men stabbed on Manhattan's Upper West Side in hate crime

A man stabbed two people in Manhattan's Upper West Side on Thursday in what police are calling a hate crime. One victim was Jewish and had just left a synagogue service. He was wearing a kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering. The second victim was Asian. Police arrested Raul Morales and charged him with two counts of attempted murder as a hate crime.

Jewish community leaders held a press conference near the location on Friday. Mark Treyger of the Jewish Community Relations Council said many Jewish New Yorkers now live with daily fear. Some parents said they worry about their children wearing visible religious symbols outside. Several synagogues are looking at stronger security measures. Some Jewish leaders also criticised Mayor Zohran Mamdani's public statements about Israel.