(Image Source: New York Post )
BY KERRY LEARY
An attack that police are calling a hate crime occurred in Brooklyn on Friday- and it coincides with a brutal Nazi anniversary. WNYW has more.
“Three vehicles were burned down to the metal, destroyed. Police say the cars were spray painted with anti-Semitic graffiti. Spray painted on a nearby fourth vehicle, KKK. On the adjacent park benches, swastikas, and the initials S.S.- the initials of Hitler's personal guard.”
These attacks came the day after the 73rd anniversary of Kristallnacht-- or “The Night of Broken Glass-” which refers to a series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany when private property was burned and ransacked. According to NY1, the community isn’t taking this lightly.
“The police have to take notice because it was not a long time ago that the world did not take notice of what was going on in Nazi Germany. And they allowed things to happen. Discrimination against Jews. And you know what happened to a religious community that was wiped out.”
According to the FBI’s 2009 report of hate crime incidents, 70 percent of religiously-motivated hate crimes were anti-Jewish. The Yeshiva World News interviewed a neighborhood resident who expressed concern about the future.
“I’m sick, I’m absolutely sick. This is disturbing. I’ve never seen something like this in Brooklyn near our homes. I hope they can find the people that did it because these cars are burnt to a crisp (FLASH) I’m scared and I don’t want my children to see this. I don’t want fear in my children because it’s very close to us and we don’t know where it could happen next.
However, other residents are reacting in a different way- they’re marching on Sunday in a “Walk for Tolerance” as a community. WCBS reports:
“We’re not going to stand for it. We’re not going to let them stop us from walking, from living, from being Jewish. We’re not going to let them stop us from doing that. We’re upset.”’
Rewards are being offered by different members of the community for more information about the crime.
Trancript by Newsy.
