Long Island Woman Charged With Hate Crime In Synagogue Harassment Case

A woman from Long Island has been arrested and charged in connection with alleged harassment of members of an Upstate, NY synagogue. Forty-seven-year-old Tara Rios of Greenport stands accused of harassing members of the church and making them fear for their safety . She was arrested on Jan. 25 by New York State Police and the FBI Terrorism Task Force.

Daily Voice revealed that Rios was taken into custody after throwing a package of pork chops onto the front steps of the Congregation Anshe Emeth, in Hudson, New York on Jan. 9. The attack caused pork fluids to be spilled on the steps, which is a particular disrespectful affront to the Jewish religion, which prohibits the consumption of pork.

After committing the act, Rios reportedly returned to take pictures. Rios was arraigned in Livingston Court and released on her own recognizance. The victims have filed for an order of protection against her. She is free on bond as she awaits prosecution pending the ongoing investigation.

Rios’ arrest comes amid an increased wave of anti-Semitic crimes not only in New York, but across the country in general. The Jewish community continues to be on edge and is still recovering from the high-profile Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooting in 2018.

More recently, During a Hanukkah party at a rabbi's home in Monsey, a man stabbed five people. On Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, a gunman killed two people, one near a synagogue and another in a kebab shop in Halle, German.

Since the massacre, more and more one-on-one issues of hostility and aggression toward the Jewish community have been documented. Both New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have vowed to vigorously crack down on these crimes. Across the country in Los Angeles, there was a 60 percent increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes according to data released by the Los Angeles Police Department.