MANHATTAN – Investigators have yet another case of antisemitism on their hands— this time in the form of offensive anti-Jewish graffiti spray-painted onto more than a half dozen cars on the Upper East Side.
It was early in the morning of Wednesday, February 16th, around 4:30 am, when the single suspect was caught-on-camera defacing cars parked near East 69th Street and Fifth Avenue in Lenox Hill in an hour-long antisemitic vandalism spree targeting seven cars and SUVs over the span of several blocks.
ALSO READ | $400k Dining Shed Engulfed in Flames
The vile graffiti rampage came less than a week after Council Member Julie Menin hosted a virtual town hall meeting on combating antisemitism in our community, where a who’s-who of important and influential voices— including Senator Chuck Schumer— encouraged Upper East Siders to call out antisemitism when they see it and report it to police.
In one surveillance video clip released by detectives on Thursday, the suspect is seen spray-painting what appears to be a zig-zag design over the wheel wells of a white SUV parked on the Upper East Side, before moving on to other vehicles.
This latest instance of antisemitism in our neighborhood is under investigation by he NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force— a citywide team that tackles bias incidents across the five boroughs and brings suspects wanted in hate-motivated crimes to justice.
According to the Task force, the number of antisemitic incidents has nearly tripled this year compared to the same period last year.
“The statistics are incredibly troubling” said Council Member Julie Menin last month.
ALSO READ | Bar-Coastal Says Goodbye to the Upper East Side
“No state has more antisemitic incidents than New York State and no city has more anti-semitic incidents than New York City.”
The suspect in this case of hate-inspired vandalism was last seen wearing a green parka, brown hoodie and black jeans. No arrests have been made.
If you have any information regarding this incident, you’re asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477.
For updates around the clock, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
