(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League expressed concern following recent incidents in Manhattan featuring vandalism and anti-Semitic graffiti.
The targets included three Upper East Side businesses, private apartments and other public spaces, ADL said Thursday citing reports. It included “explicit anti-Semitic symbols, as well as racist” ones. ADL did not say when the incidents took place.
On Thursday, police released a photo of one slender man, who appears to be older than 50, whom police said is wanted for committing a pattern of aggravated harassment as a hate crime. He is believed to have placed stickers containing anti-gay, anti-black and anti-Semitic statements on three Madison Avenue stores since October, police said.
“This recent spate of hateful acts remind us that the fight against anti-Semitism is inextricably linked to the fight of all forms of hate, and therefore must be addressed in all our communities,” said ADL New York Regional Director Evan R. Bernstein in a statement.
In the first three quarters of 2017, ADL tracked 167 incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism across New York State as well as a 92 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in New York City. In the recent findings, Manhattan surpassed other NYC boroughs receiving the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
