2 men arrested for threats to Jewish community in NYC

(NewsNation) — Transit police in New York City apprehended two men they believed were planning to harm people in the Jewish community.

Police arrested Christopher Brown and Matthew Mahrer in New York’s Penn Station after the NYPD issued an alert for Brown.

Brown has a history of mental health issues and police warned he was armed and dangerous, with a history of making threats towards Jewish synagogues.

Police seized a number of items from Brown and Mahrer, including a large hunting knife, an illegal handgun, .30 round magazine, a swastika patch, ski masks and a bulletproof vest. Both men are being charged with making terroristic threats, along with multiple weapons charges.

In a criminal complaint, investigators allege Brown told them “I have Nazi paraphernalia in my house. I think it’s really cool. I also create a white supremacist Twitter group.”

The FBI and NYPD were monitoring Brown’s movements after he posted a number of threats against synagogues on Twitter.

The arrests in New York are the latest link in a chain of anti-Semitic threats around the country.

Jewish schools and community centers around the country have received bomb threats, including schools in Philadelphia, Austin and Detroit.

The Anti-Defamation League reported 2,717 incidents of anti-Semitism in 2021, the highest number since the group began tracking in 1979.

Police said they are not aware of any credible or know threats made against Jewish synagogues or community centers in New York City but are on high alert.