NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A Long Island man was arraigned on Friday after trespassing and harassing an employee inside the Melville Islamic Center earlier this week, prosecutors said.
Jordan Endler, 46, of East Northport, an attorney based in Suffolk County, was arrested for criminal trespass in the third degree and harassment in the second degree, for allegedly remaining in a mosque after being asked by an employee to leave and harassing the employee, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney explained.
Endler allegedly knocked on the Islamic Center of Melville's door at around 2:30 p.m. and started questioning the employee who answered, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
Endler then asked the employee if he could come inside and the employee let him in. Once inside, Endler allegedly began harassing the employee, according to prosecutors. The employee asks Endeler to leave multiple times but he refuses.
A video of the incident at the mosque was shared online, capturing a woman's voice as she pleaded with Endler, who is recording her as well, "I'm not comfortable right now. Please, I'm not comfortable right now," she says.
Endler replies, "I'm not comfortable with you." He then walks around the mosque chanting slogans about releasing Israeli hostages. When the woman indicates she's going to call the police, Endler dismissively tells her to "do it in the streets of New York City," seemingly referencing ceasefire protests.
A man then comes out from the prayer room and tells Endler, "This is a place of worship. I'm trying to pray." Endler asks, "Would you pray for Israeli Jewish women?" a reference to the Hamas-taken hostages. The woman says, "For all people, sir." And the man says, "We have Jewish friends too." Endler then asks again, "Will you pray for the Israeli Jewish women?" to which the man says, "Yes, I will pray for everybody." Endler says "Will you say specifically [Israeli Jewish women]? You're racist!" Endler then proceeds to march around the mosque saying "Free the Israeli Jewish women now! "
Endler stayed inside the building until police arrived, prosecutors said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations- New York chapter reacted to the video and incident. “This incident is a microcosm of the broader tensions of rising anti-Muslim hate we’ve seen across the country since the war in Gaza began,” said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher. “We condemn this hateful incident and urge law enforcement to ensure that our congregations are safe in their houses of worship.”
Following an investigation by Hate Crimes Unit detectives, Suffolk County Police Department arrested Endler at his home on Thursday.
Endler was arraigned on one count of criminal trespass in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.
“I want to remind everyone that no matter what else is going on in the world, here in Suffolk County, we will not tolerate bias or hate,” Tierny said. “I want to thank the Muslim community for alerting us to this incident, so that detectives from our office and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit can continue to investigate it.
Endler was released without bail while his case is ongoing, but the court has ordered him to stay away from the mosque employee, following a request from the District Attorney's office.
The charges against Endler aren't serious enough under New York law to require bail.
He will return to court on April 3, 2024, with Bob Curran, Esq., as his lawyer.
In 2023, CAIR-NY received 555 requests for legal help, with 239 of them, or 43%, connected to Palestinian solidarity, according to a statement. Across the U.S., CAIR chapters got 3,578 complaints in the last three months of 2023, during a surge of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hatred.
“I have received numerous phone calls from the community offering their support upon hearing about this incident,” President of Islamic Center of Melville Talaat Abdelmoneim, M.D. said. “I wanted to express my gratitude to those who came in, phoned in, and helped in this serious matter. I humbly request that all remain calm as notified authority are working on this matter.”
Politicians, attorneys, and advocacy groups reached out to the Islamic Center of Melville via Twitter and phone since the video went viral online.
“I just spoke with the President of the Islamic Center of Melville to express my deep concern about this scary and threatening incident that occurred yesterday, and to offer my continued support for the Muslim community,” Attorney General Letitia James wrote on X. “I will always stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters.”
“Deeply disturbed by this incident at the Islamic Center of Melville,” Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote on X. “I've directed the New York State Police Hate Crime Task Force and New York State Human Rights to offer support for the community. Anyone harassing members of the Muslim — or any other — community based on faith must be held accountable.