New York, NY (June 4, 2026)

A 23-year-old Connecticut man is facing hate crime charges after authorities said he raised a swastika-marked flag at New York University during a campus event last month.

Alexander Stepnowsky, a recent NYU graduate, was arrested Tuesday after surrendering to police. He has been charged with burglary as a hate crime, criminal trespass as a hate crime, and aggravated harassment. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday and was released without bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for August.

Authorities allege that Stepnowsky used his university identification on May 13 to enter a campus building during NYU’s graduation-period activities. Surveillance footage allegedly showed him raising a flag designed to resemble Israeli imagery, with stripes around a Star of David, NYU-related markings, and large swastikas on both sides.

Investigators are said to have reviewed the incident as bias-related, and police sources indicated that Stepnowsky expressed frustration over the university’s handling of issues connected to Israel. NYU has said it cooperated with law enforcement and is pursuing its own disciplinary process, which could bring serious university consequences in addition to the criminal case.

The arrest comes as New York City continues to see elevated levels of antisemitic hate crimes. Police data released this week showed 41 confirmed antisemitic hate crimes in May, a sharp increase from the same month last year. Antisemitic incidents made up the majority of confirmed hate crimes in the city for the month.

So far this year, Jewish New Yorkers have remained the most frequently targeted group in the city’s hate crime statistics, with confirmed antisemitic incidents far outpacing those aimed at other religious or racial groups.

City officials have noted that the rise in hate crimes stands in contrast to broader crime trends, including declines in shootings and murders during the first five months of the year. The continued increase in antisemitic incidents, however, has intensified concern among Jewish communities, campus leaders, and law enforcement officials working to address bias-related threats across the city.