Joshua Zinberg, 25, the man accused of slashing a Danish tourist’s face on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, caused a chaotic scene during his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday.
Facing an attempted murder charge, Zinberg repeatedly interrupted proceedings, at one point shouting, “Who are you?” to which Judge Janet McDonnell calmly replied, “The judge.”
The disturbing case stems from an unprovoked attack on a 55-year-old Danish man, described by Assistant District Attorney Alexander Oltarsh as “entirely unprovoked.”
Oltarsh recounted how Zinberg allegedly approached the tourist and attacked him without warning.
Held on $150,000 cash bail, Zinberg has also been ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. This directive follows an erratic string of outbursts, including Zinberg spitting at reporters while shouting, “Teach you to f–k with the Jewish Joshua!” as he was led into court Thursday.
During his arrest, Zinberg made bizarre statements to NYPD officers, hinting at his transient lifestyle. “The only thing you guys really need is the knife, right?” he told officers, according to the prosecution.
“I need my keys to go downtown. I basically live out of my car.”
Zinberg is also facing an unrelated misdemeanor harassment charge for allegedly “threatening serious acts of violence” against someone on Instagram in May 2023.
Throughout the arraignment, Zinberg appeared agitated, attempting to twist out of his handcuffs and muttering incoherently about “paranoia” and “self-defense.”
His continued disruptions highlighted the volatile nature of his behavior, which authorities will further investigate as the case progresses.