The NYPD has launched an investigation into a possible hate crime after a Columbia University professor’s office was vandalized with two spray-painted swastikas and a derogatory word aimed at Jewish people.
Professor Elizabeth Midlarsky, who is Jewish and has published various articles related to the Holocaust, told CNN, “I opened the outer door and almost passed out,” when she saw the two swastikas spray-painted in red.
Midlarsky, who has worked at the university’s Teachers College for 28 years, reported the incident to security and received support from staff before being brought home by a van.
Midlarsky was a victim of a similar incident in 2007, when a swastika was spray-painted on her office door and anti-Semitic flyers dropped in her mailbox, according to the Daily Spectator. The vandals had also written her name and crossed it out, the Daily News reported.
While police are continuing their investigation into who committed the vandalism, Teachers College president Thomas Bailey issued a statement.
“We unequivocally condemn any expression of hatred, which has no place in our society,” the statement said. “We are outraged and horrified by this act of aggression and use of this vile anti-Semitic symbol against a valued member of our community.”
I am disgusted by this abhorrent act of anti-Semitism and hate. I stand together with @Columbia and the entire Jewish community of NY. I am directing the State Police to assist in this investigation. We will hold those behind this responsible and we will rise above this hate. https://t.co/0L9cgLIhqe
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 29, 2018
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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7 Responses
We Yidden have to work on ourselves to have true compassion and feelings towards all decent Non-Yidden, but not as a fake Kiddush-Hashem performance, but sincere brotherly love. There is no reason why we should not have the same Human caring for a young innocent child who was born to a Non-Yiddishe mother, as we have Ahavas Yisroel to somebody that is born to a Yiddishe mother and is obligated in 613 Mitzvohs.
UPDATE: CNN reporting that University’s CCTV Security camera captured an image of a man exiting the building described as 6′ tall with orange hair holding a spray-paint can in his hands.
Very upsetting. The swastikas are painted backwards. Very lazy antisemites
LATEST UPDATE: MSNBC just reported that the suspect was wearing MAGA hat.
My predictions: Professor Elizabeth Midlarsky will be charged with fraud and making false statements to police.
ader, a nochri is not our brother, so how can we have brotherly love for him? And if we love him just like a yid then you have abolished the mitzvah of ahavas yisroel. Respect, yes; love, no.
Moishe, there’s a good chance that you’re right, since most such incidents turn out to be hoaxes of one sort or another, but antisemitism really exists, so it’s possible that this is real.