A man who once clashed with neighbors after displaying Nazi memorabilia in common areas of their Sunnyside condo building pleaded not guilty to hate crime and other charges in Queens Supreme Criminal Court on Thursday.
Prosecutors said surveillance footage shows Neal Milano, 76, writing sexist slurs and other offensive messages on eight different walls of the building. In one message, he wrote: “kill Hamas Iran condo board,” according to a criminal complaint.
The charges come amid a spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes tied to the Israel-Hamas war, which has stoked tensions in New York City.
“Hateful and bias-motivated attacks have no place in our communities and this shameful aggression will not be tolerated,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a press release. “The defendant will be held accountable for the serious charges against him.”
Milano pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, which include criminal mischief as a hate crime and making graffiti.
“I will vigorously defend my client’s rights,” said his attorney, Kevin O’Donnell.
NY1 reported in 2017 about complaints from the building’s residents when Milano led the condo board, including allegations that he required his neighbors to pay steep fees for not properly folding their cardboard recycling.
The TV story also featured images of decor Milano put up outside the building and on the walls of the lobby, including giant Uncle Sam statues, photos of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, National Rifle Association stickers, and a Martin Luther King Jr. quote. Milano subsequently stepped down from his role as the building’s property manager.
A judge in 2018 cleared him of stalking, harassment and attempted assault charges related to his behavior in the condo building, the New York Post reported at the time.