WhatsappA despicable act of antisemitism in America. This time, some vandals defaced the Jewish Community Center in Fairfax, Virginia with swastikas on the building.
The Incident
Sometime between 1AM and 7AM a person or persons defaced the Fairfax Jewish Community Center with swastikas. A volunteer left at 1AM when the walls were still clean. When he returned at 7AM, he found the swastikas all over the wall.
While this is just the exterior of a building with swastikas, it represents an environment shift. Some people feel more comfortable today to express their blatant antisemitism and hatred of Jews. It used to be otherwise.
BREAKING: Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia — my JCC where my kids went to preschool — spray painted with 19 swastikas overnight. Police say incident captured on security cameras but culprits still unknown. I’m sickened. pic.twitter.com/ttatPg51Hl
— Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) October 6, 2018
JCC Statement
“As many of us recognize, these acts do not represent the community around the J or the community in Northern Virginia.” So said Fairfax JCC Executive Director Jeff Dannick and JCC Board President David Yaffe, in a statement.
“The J as a whole, and particularly through the focused efforts of our Committee for a Just and Caring Community, will continue to participate as a positive force in both the Jewish and wider communities,” they also said.
Not the 1st time
It is the second suspected hate crime against the Fairfax JCC in the last 18 months. In April 2017, “Hitler was right,” swastikas and the SS symbol were found spray-painted on the exterior of the JCC building. Vandals also defaced a nearby church. Dylan M. Mahone, 20, was arrested and charged with hate-related offenses in the incident.
An insidious rise in hateful actions and anti-Semitism is happening in Virginia and across the country. We must meet it with fierce condemnation and an over-abundance of love and unity. We cannot allow hate to fester. pic.twitter.com/85bW2Hl0th
— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) October 6, 2018
