Man arrested for shouting 'Allahu Akbar' during Manhattan synagogue service
Police arrested 48-year-old Shear Nobles in Manhattan after he allegedly interrupted a July 21 service at Shuva Israel synagogue by loudly chanting “Allahu Akbar.”
On Wednesday, NYPD officers arrested Shear Nobles, a 48-year-old man from Philadelphia, for allegedly disrupting a religious service at the Shuva Israel Sephardic synagogue in Manhattan on July 21. Police say he entered the sanctuary while prayers were underway, used his cell phone to record without permission, and loudly proclaimed “Allahu Akbar,” which frightened attendees. He was charged with aggravated harassment and disruption of religious services, and the department’s hate-crime task force is participating in the case.
No one was injured during the incident. Court records reveal Nobles previously faced charges for defiant trespassing, theft, assault, drug possession, burglary, and a 2007 conviction for possessing a gun and ammunition as a felon. The investigation continues.
Why it matters
The arrest highlights concerns about hate-motivated disruptions of worship and the role of law enforcement in protecting religious freedom.
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