Members of a Queens community gathered last Friday to rally against anti-Semitism in their neighborhood. Councilman Eric Gioia, along with other community and religious leaders, sent a message that acts of hate would not be tolerated in Western Queens.

The Nazi symbol, as well as slurs against South Asians and Jews, were sprayed on five cars on the street near the Jackson Heights-Elmhurst Kehillah at the corner of 37th Avenue and 72nd Street on Halloween.

“In this neighborhood, no matter what’s your religion, no matter what’s your ethnicity, no matter what’s your creed, no matter where you are from, no matter how much money you have in the bank, all of our children go to the same schools, all of us walk down the same streets, all of us join the same civic associations,” said Gioia.

Police have not made any arrests in the case so far. In the past year, reported hate crimes in the City have increased by approximately 20 percent.