State Sen. Jeremy Cooney of Rochester condemned anti-Indian hate Thursday after Illinois authorities arrested a man accused of planning an attack on a Hindu temple near Chicago. No shooting was reported.
“Anti-Indian hate has no place in New York or any place in our nation,” Cooney, an Indian American lawmaker, said in a statement. He thanked law enforcement for intervening and called for opposition to violence, online harassment and vandalism targeting religious communities.
Police in Palatine, Illinois, said investigators believe the 19-year-old man may have planned an attack Sunday at a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. He faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing weapons. At a Thursday briefing, police said a vehicle registered to him had entered a temple parking lot Sunday, according to The Associated Press. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Cooney cited a 240% rise in anti-South Asian hate speech online since January 2024. A Center for the Study of Organized Hate analysis found that monthly anti-South Asian hate posts on X increased 240% from January 2024 through June 2026. The figure describes that platform and period, not all online activity.
Cooney represents New York's 56th Senate District, which includes much of Rochester. He said he would continue working to keep communities safe.
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