D.A. Bragg Announces Hate Crime Charges Against James Ryan for Antisemitic and Racist Graffiti


March 15, 2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg today announced the indictment of JAMES RYAN, 40, for drawing swastikas and writing racial slurs in public spaces in Lower Manhattan, including on the Charging Bull statue, in December 2021. RYAN is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with three felony counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree as a Hate Crime and three felony counts of Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree. [1]

“Hate has no place in New York City and these offensive and damaging actions will not be tolerated. As alleged, James Ryan put emblems of hate on a city building and one of Manhattan’s most iconic symbols, the Wall Street Charging Bull,” said D.A. Bragg. “This indictment is a result of our continued collaboration with the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force and our commitment to thoroughly investigating all alleged hate crimes. My Office is a safe place to report crimes regardless of your immigration status. If you have been a victim or witness to a hate crime or bias incident, please call our Hate Crimes Unit at 212-335-3100.”

According to the indictment and statements made on the record in court, on December 13, 2021, at approximately 6:30 p.m., RYAN approached the gates to City Hall on Park Row and drew a swastika and an anti-Black slur on a pillar. The next day, around 4:00 p.m., RYAN spray painted a large swastika and another anti-Black slur outside a CVS Pharmacy in the Financial District. Hours later, around 10:09 p.m., RYAN spray painted a large swastika and letters on the Charging Bull statue on Wall Street.   
 
The Manhattan D.A.’s Office currently has 20 open hate crime cases related to antisemitic hate crimes.
 
Assistant D.A. Edward Smith is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Jonathon Junig (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit) and Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit) and Executive Assistant D.A Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). 
 
D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, as well as members of the NYPD’s First Precinct for their assistance with the investigation.
 
Defendant Information:
 
JAMES RYAN
Limon, Colo.
 
Charged:

  • Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree as a Hate Crime, a class E felony, three counts
  • Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree, a class E felony, three counts

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

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