21-Year-Old Man Indicted on Felony Hate Crime Charges for Antisemitic Vandalism of Three NYC Synagogues and a Jewish Ambulance

Suspect Lenny De La Rosa, facing 16 months to four years in prison, maintains innocence and claims to be an artist, despite glaring evidence of his involvement in mid-August antisemitic vandalism spree.

• 21-year-old Lenny De La Rosa was indicted on four counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime for allegedly defacing three synagogues and a Jewish volunteer ambulance in NYC's Upper East Side neighbourhood. His vandalism spree took place over two days in mid-August.
• Phrases such as 'JESUS SAINTZZZ' and 'DEAD RIIP' were scrawled on the synagogues and ambulance. De La Rosa's arrest came days later after a police officer recognized him from a wanted flyer.
• During his trial in Manhattan Supreme Court, De La Rosa pleaded not guilty and claimed to be an artist. While he faces 16 months to four years if convicted, he maintained his innocence, asserting that his actions were not motived by antisemitism.
• When presented with photographic evidence of his alleged vandalism, De La Rosa simply responded, 'That’s me. That’s my work.' Despite his claims of innocence, the detailed evidence appears to be compelling.
• De La Rosa has no prior criminal convictions, but there are open cases against him for unrelated assault and criminal mischief. Despite the ongoing proceedings, he insists that his race negates the possibility of his actions being considered hateful.

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