US President Donald Trump's personal attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on Sunday criticized current Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday following the stabbing attack at a rabbi's home in Monsey.
The incident followed a string of anti-Semitic assaults in New York, including on Friday morning, when three young Jewish women were attacked in Brooklyn.
De Blasio condemned the incidents and also promised to increase police presence in Jewish neighborhoods of New York City.
In a tweet on Sunday, Giuliani blamed de Blasio for allegedly failing to adequately address the rise of anti-Semitism violence in New York City.
"The rise in anti-Semitic violence in NYC is something that could have been stopped at a much earlier stage if the City had a Mayor who embraced the Broken Windows Theory, or at the least, a Mayor who worked full time & paid attention to what was going on," he wrote.
Giuliani appeared to be referencing the NYC mayor’s failed presidential bid. De Blasio in September ended his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination after he failed to find support in the party for his candidacy.
Saturday night’s attack took place at approximately 9:50 p.m. while congregants gathered at a Hasidic synagogue operated by Rabbi Rottenburg in Monsey, New York.
Some 50 to 60 people had gathered to light Hanukkah candles when the assailant, who was covering his face with a scarf, burst into the synagogue brandishing a machete, and began stabbing congregants.
Some congregants hurled chairs and a small table at the assailant, forcing him to flee.
The attacker drove off, making his way to New York City. Police found him roughly two hours later, at around midnight, after identifying his car via the license plate number.
The attacker, identified as 37-year-old Grafton Thomas, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder.
Following the attack, de Blasio wrote in a tweet, "Horrific. So many Jewish families in our city have close ties to Monsey. We cannot overstate the fear people are feeling right now. I’ve spoken to longtime friends who, for the first time in their lives, are fearful to show outward signs of their Jewish faith."
"We will NOT allow this to become the new normal. We’ll use every tool we have to stop these attacks once and for all. The NYPD has deployed a visible and growing presence around Jewish houses of worship on the streets in communities like Williamsburg, Crown Heights and Boro Park."