Brooklyn Man Facing Hate Crime Charges After Allegedly Destroying Church’s Crucifix, Setting Fire To Yeshiva, Synagogue


A Brooklyn man is facing hate crime charges after he allegedly destroyed a crucifix and burned an American flag at church and later set fire to a yeshiva and synagogue.

Ali Alaheri, 29, was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime.
Police said Alaheri knocked down and destroyed a large crucifix statue outside St. Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst.


(Credit: St. Athanasius Roman Catholic Church)

Alaheri is also accused of burning an American flag outside the rectory.

A pastor discovered the damage on May 14.

“It was a terrible morning. It was probably the saddest day in my life, to see this desecration of a cross of Jesus and the desecration of the flag,” Monsignor David Cassato told CBS2 the day it happened.
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/05...-crime-charge/