New York man, Yuriy Alterman, to set Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on fire?

Man Arrested for Carrying Gas Can, Yelling About Police in Midtown: NYPD.

MIDTOWN — A man was arrested after walking near Rockefeller Center while holding a canister full of gas, throwing bottles onto the street and yelling about the police, according to the NYPD.

Someone pointed out Yuriy Alterman, 38, to officers after noticing the man acting erratically in Midtown on Monday afternoon, a police spokesman said.

“I don’t have a car, I just bought the gas from a station on 10th Avenue,” Alterman told police, according to the NYPD, adding that he was “just walking around the city.”

Arresting officers also found matches on Alterman and the book “Son of Hamas,” sources said.

Alterman was facing felony charges of making a terroristic threat, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.

He’s been arrested four other times, including for criminal mischief after he punched a mirror on a Mercedes in Brooklyn on June 29, according to police and court records.

The article doesnt make reference to the person's religion but it sounds like a Jewish name?

He doesnt have a car but was walking around with a canister of gas and matches?

"Sources" also said that he was carrying around a Hamas book?

Maybe he was going to use the book as kindling to set the tree on fire or possibly leave it at the scene of the crime?

Lots of questions, not too many answers.

Trying to light the Christmas Tree on fire? That seems like a really Grinch-y thing to do.

How we got the target was a tree i dunno...

Alterman was facing felony charges of making a terroristic threat, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.

He was 'wandering around' Rockeerfeller square. Maybe he was going to torch their offices?

i always thought mental illness is no laughing matter.
that is until you add a can of gasoline, the rockerfeller xmas tree, and a Jewish dude with anti terrorist literature

It's NYC, no car needed.

A gas can is not even the strangest thing you will see on the subway that day.

There are tons of police at rockerfeller center and pissed off New Yorkers like me. He would of had a hard time burning down that tree.

uh, have any of you ever seen a christmas tree burn?

you don't need gas. Pine pitch is fantastic for burning already.

a reply to: lordcomac

In january maybe but not if it´s fresh cut and wet inside. Big wildfires are another thing, when the water content of the tree is nearly gone because of the heat before the fire. You´ll have a hard time setting a fresh cut tree on fire. Now your own tree, in your heated house is another thing. If i´ve seen right it´s outside and thus it will draw moisture from the air.

Of course you can set it on fire with gasoline but it´s not like you hold a match under it and the whole tree will light up instantly like you see it in homes.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I was really there with the Grinch right up till he lost the courage of his convictions lol

a reply to: gladtobehere
would of been a good fire, looks like a large tree, part of me wishes he would of just lite it on fire instead of yelling at cops first, light fire, then yell at cops, atleast we'd have a fire!

a reply to: gladtobehere

Sounds like a loose cannon to me. He is the type of person who has been in trouble with the police before. Who usually is released after a few days or weeks in jail. Months or years from now they will commit some kind of crime that will make national headlines. The news story will say he's been arrested before, blah, blah, blah.

We need to start addressing the mentally ill instead of just throwing them into jail and than releasing them to commit an even worse and possibly a mass killing.