Latest news with #TaihongOuyang
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with hate crime for vandalism spree targeting Manhattan Buddhist temples
A beef with Buddhist monks sparked a man on a vandalism rampage who broke into several temples in Manhattan's Chinatown and damaged religious artifacts, police said Thursday. Taihong Ouyang, 49, was arrested Tuesday and charged with burglary and criminal mischief, both as hate crimes, and aggravated harassment after a string of break ins at the worship sites earlier that day. Cops say Ouyang was caught on camera early Tuesday smashing in windows at several locations, where he shattered glass, destroyed security cameras and demolished statues. He was angry 'the monks at these temples are acting improperly by charging too much money and putting people on the wrong religious path,' he told cops, according to court papers. He wanted 'to give these temples a beating,' he told police, a criminal complaint against him says. Cops said Ouyang's rampage began shortly after midnight at a temple on Eldridge St. where he used a metal object to break the windows. Cops said he came back several hours later and broke more windows. Surveillance video from an acupuncture and massage business on Canal St. that shares its location with the Mahayana Buddhist Temple shows Ouyang breaking a window there shortly before 1 a.m., police said. Cops said he also attacked the World Buddhist Temple on Henry St., the Huang Da Xian Taoist Temple on Bowery St. and the Grace Gratitude Buddhist Temple on East Broadway. 'I find it incredible that my temple has been destroyed. I cannot understand it and I cannot accept it,' Xinyuan, the leader of the World Buddhist Temple, said in Mandarin. 'The main purpose of Buddhism is world peace and harmonious coexistence of various religions, which brings good luck to the people of society and allows them to live and work in peace and contentment. The destruction of the temple this time has made people around us feel fearful and uneasy.' A temple operated on Pike Street by the Sung Tak Buddhist Association was also damaged. Two statues outside the temple were damaged, including one that will cost about $10,000 to repair, temple officials said. Ouyang, who is homeless, according to cops, was released without bail after being arraigned Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Homeless man, 49, leaves trail of destruction in spree targeting NYC Buddhist, Taoist temples: cops
A homeless man left a trail of destruction inside at least four Buddhist and Taoist temples across Lower Manhattan Tuesday, cops said. Taihong Ouyang, 49, was slapped with hate crime criminal mischief and burglary charges for the destructive bender that included a stop at the Sung Tak Buddhist Association on Pike Street near East Broadway – where he allegedly smashed religious items with a fire extinguisher, cops and sources said. During the Chinatown and Lower East Side spree, Ouyang also allegedly targeted the Guanyinsi – World Buddhist Center on Henry Street near Rutgers Street, where he damaged two security cameras, according to authorities and sources. He also targeted the Pu Chao Buddhist Temple on Eldridge Street near Canal Street, cops said. Ouyang was ended his spree just after 8 a.m. when he barged into the Huang Da Xian Taoist Temple on the Bowery near Pell Street and damaged a slew of items inside, cops said. Someone called 911 to report the vandalism and Ouyang was tracked down and arrested, authorities said. Ouyang is also accused of vandalism at two other locations – one on Canal Street near the Bowery, and the other at East Broadway near Market Street, where two front doors were damaged, sources said. It's unclear whether those buildings are also houses of worship. It also wasn't clear exactly when Ouyang began his spree, or why he targeted the temples. Ouyang's arraignment was pending in Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday.
