Man accused of maligning Jews at South Florida temple faces felony charge under new law
An accused serial harasser who congregants said spewed hateful remarks at Jews entering a synagogue and blew a shofar outside to disrupt services, was arrested Sunday and charged with disturbing a religious assembly.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office said its decision to upgrade the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony is likely the first time the statute has been applied since it became a new hate crime law earlier this year.
“There is no place in our community, or any community, for those who revel in spouting hate,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a prepared statement. “Individuals who feel that they have license to desecrate the religious ceremonies and sentiments of Shabbat services and to desecrate the Holiday of Sukkot are in for a surprise.”
Yudel Antonio Herrero, 47, was charged Sunday with disturbing a religious assembly. He appeared in court Monday and was told to post a $1,500 bond for release and then he would remain in house arrest. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had hired an attorney and calls to his cellphone were not returned.
Witnesses told police that as they neared the King David Chabad in Sunny Isles on Saturday morning, Herrero was waiting, yelling anti-Semitic remarks at them, saying “Jews must die” and holding a shofar, a ram horn that is blown in temple during the Sukkot services. According to his arrest report, the rabbi at the synagogue told police that Herrero wasn’t new to the area, frequently bothering temple patrons, peeking into windows during services and pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.
Police found Herrero Sunday morning walking in 18000 block of Collins Avenue and took him into custody.
“As Chief of Police, my officers and I will not tolerate any form of hate towards our community and places of worship,” said Sunny Isles Police Chief Edward Santiago.
