Brooklyn Man Facing Hate Crime Charges After Allegedly Destroying Church's Crucifix, Setting Fire To Yeshiva, Synagogue
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- 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.
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.
Parishioners gathered in prayer that night and used a crucifix from one of their classrooms as a temporary replacement outside the church.
The crucifix that was destroyed stood for 11 years.
The Department of Justice says on Wednesday, Alaheri deliberately set fire to a yeshiva and synagogue on 36th Street in Brooklyn.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Alaheri piling garbage bags against the side of the building and lighting them on fire.
Firefighters responded to a fire alarm and extinguished the flames.
Later that same day, Alaheri also allegedly attacked a man wearing traditional Hasidic garb.
He was arrested in Dobbs Ferry on Friday.
