Anti-Semitic Incidents in the U.S. in the Wake of Charlottesville Rally

August 30, 2017

The violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which featured anti-Semitic chants and imagery on full display, has fueled concern about whether the kind of hatred and violence seen in Charlottesville could inspire copycat incidents or acts of hate against Jews or Jewish institutions in other parts of the country.

While it is impossible to directly link anti-Semitic incidents seen elsewhere to the horrific displays of hate witnessed in Charlottesville without knowing the full motives of the perpetrators behind the attacks, ADL’s Center on Extremism has noted the following anti-Semitic incidents in the days since the August 12 rally, including swastika vandalism attacks where Jews may, or may not have been the intended primary target:

September 10:

• New York, NY – Anti-Semitic graffiti was spray-painted across the front door of a private family residence in the Fieldston neighborhood of Riverdale in the Bronx. The word "Jew" was spray painted on the door.

September 6:

• Lafayette, CO – A Jewish couple reported that someone carved a swastika into the front door of their apartment.

September 5:

• Pittsburgh, PA – Anti-Semitic and white supremacist literature, including stickers and business cards, were reportedly found in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, which boasts a large Jewish community. According to the FBI, the stickers contained the message, "White people rock" and information about the "Church of Creativity," a neo-Nazi hate group.

September 4:

• Atlanta, GA – A car wash was tagged with anti-Semitic graffiti, including a swastika, a crossed-out Star of David and "SS" symbols. Employees said they believed the property was intentionally targeted because the business is owned by African-Americans.

August 29:

• Dumfries, VA – Racist and anti-Semitic fliers featuring the image of hooded Klansmen were taped to the door of a predominantly African-American church in Prince William County, Virginia. One of the signs featured a picture of Donald Trump wearing a Klan hood. Another read, "the day of the rope is coming."

August 28: 

• Los Angeles, CA – White supremacist symbols "14" and "88" were spray-painted overnight on a garage door outside of ADL's offices in Los Angeles. Security cameras captured an image of the perpetrator. No arrests have been made.
• Stamford, CT – Swastikas, "KKK" and other obscenities were spray-painted on the pavement and walls at the Academy of Information, Technology and Engineering. Police were investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
• Ogden, Utah – About a dozen white nationalist posters were removed a day before classes started at Weber State University. The posters included racist and anti-Semitic comments.

August 27:

• Syosset, NY – Swastikas and anti-Semitic messages were spray-painted on the walls, doors and windows of a Long Island high school.

August 26:

• Chicago, IL – Hateful messages were spray-painted on a sidewalk outside of a Jewish home and a church in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood. The graffiti appeared outside of a home with a sign reading “Hate has no home here” and a mezuzah affixed to the doorpost.  White spray paint on the sidewalk spelled out, “You will not replace us!” Another message nearby read, “Diversity is white genocide.”

August 25:

• New York, NY – A synagogue on the Lower East Side of Manhattan was defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti, "KKK" and slurs.
• Arlington, VA  – A small group of neo-Nazis gathered in the parking lot of a mall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of George Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the American Nazi Party. Five men and one woman held a brief memorial service featuring a Nazi flag and "Heil Hitler" salutes.

August 23:

• New Milford, CT – A racial epithet and swastika were painted at a restaurant.
• Queens, NY – A property manager of a residential Queens building was accused of terrorizing his tenants by displaying racist, anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi imagery.

August 22:

• Las Vegas, NV – A swastika and expletives were painted on the sidewalk near an elementary school.

• Pullman, WA –  Dozens of students were evacuated from Stimson Hall at Washington State University after students reported vandals had scratched several swastikas and a vague bomb threat onto dorm walls.

• Chester County, PA – Nazi Symbols and Racist Graffiti specifically targeting Jews and blacks were spray painted at several locations in damaging a storefront, a Mercedes Benz and a garage.

• Bellevue, WA – Three swastikas were found painted near a local bus stop.

• Ann Arbor, MI – A bomb threat was called into the Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County.
• Atlanta, GA -- A Jewish fifth-grade teacher found a swastika drawn on a planter in her classroom.

August 21:

• Oregon – Signs with swastikas and anti-Semitic messages were hung on highway overpasses at several locations in Oregon.
• Scranton, PA – Swastika-like image discovered outside Orthodox synagogue.
• Murfreesboro, TN – Swastika painted on street next to Trump's name.
• Ann Arbor, MI -- Swastikas and anti-Semitic and racial slurs were discovered in a skate park.
• Lakeville, MN -- A swastika was found carved into a green at a public golf course.

August 20:

• Westerville, OH -- A family found an anti-Semitic message written near their driveway.
• Lakewood, OH -- Belle Avenue residents found two swastikas painted on their driveway
• Asbury Park, NJ -- Racist and anti-Semitic flyers were found posted across the city.

August 18:

• Conejo Valley, CA -- A swastika was discovered on a sign at Conejo Valley park.
• Santa Barbara, CA -- “Swastika” and “Trump” spray painted on five cars.
• Alameda, CA -- Windows at an Alameda synagogue were shattered by a rock-throwing vandal who was recorded on security cameras.

August 17:

• Santa Rosa, CA -- A swastika was scrawled on Maria Carrillo High School.
• Manistee County, MI – A swastika scribbled on a Manistee woman's front door following a vigil for Charlottesville.

August 16:

• Georgetown, D.C. -- Anti-Semitic graffiti was spray-painted on a building and recreation area owned by D.C. school district.
• Philadelphia, PA -- A man was arrested after urinating on a synagogue in Northeast Philadelphia. Police allege the synagogue was intentionally targeted.
• MacArthur, FL – Swastikas and SS initials were spray-painted on palm trees near MacArthur Causeway.
• Bakersfield, CA -- A neighborhood in southeast Bakersfield was vandalized with a swastika and the words “war is coming.”

August 15:

• Boston, MA -- A 17-year-old youth was charged with vandalizing the New England Holocaust Memorial. Witnesses said the youth threw a rock, shattering one of the memorial’s glass panels.