Jewish Agency Commends Congressman For Calling Upon the New York City Police Department to Investigate Hate Crimes.
ISFSP commends Congressman Anthony Weiner (NY-D) for calling upon the New York City Police Department to investigate recent Brooklyn crimes, including swastikas painted on the Sephardic Community Center, as hate crimes.
(PRWEB) October 19, 2004 -- The International Society for Sephardic Progress
(ISFSP) commends Congressman Anthony Weiner for calling upon the New York City
Police Department to investigate the recent rash of anti-Jewish graffiti as a
crime targeting Jews-solely because they are Jews.
During the week of
October 11, 2004 swastikas were found painted on at least twelve different
establishments including synagogues, the Sephardic Community Center, yeshivas,
schools, medical buildings and funeral homes throughout Brooklyn. Many of these
were spray painted prior to the Jewish Sabbath, possibly so the Jewish community
would see them when they went to services. This was not the first time, the same
happened a week earlier. The mere fact there were over a dozen separate Nazi
emblems painted over a section of Brooklyn shows someone or some group is
targeting the community.
Hatred for the Jewish community is not
exclusive to New York. In the past two weeks swastikas have been painted on a
synagogue in Erie, Pennsylvania, a South New Jersey synagogue, as well as in
California. Shelomo Alfassa, Executive Director of the ISFSP stated:
"It
is critical that people realize a swastika painted in the dark of the night is
not just an act of graffiti, it is a physical manifestation of hatred towards
the Jewish community, acts such as this should be a warning that all Jews, in
all geographical areas, should be alert to their surroundings. People should
realize they are being watched and by those who do not wish them
well."
The ISFSP believes it is important the authorities not only look
at the 'traditional' Jewish haters such as white supremacist groups, but
investigate more contemporary outward haters of the Jewish community. Because a
police car was also targeted, police should also potentially regard this as work
of a group (or individual) which considers themselves a self-declared enemy of
both the Jews and the United States. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, there
are a number of indications American neo-Nazis are continually working with
Islamic terrorist groups and it has been said an operational alliance may be
taking shape in the United States.
House Representative Weiner who
represents people of all faiths and backgrounds living in Queens and Brooklyn,
New York should be commended for his immediate action requesting New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg to investigate these alarming incidents under
established state hate crime statutes. A defender of both New Yorkers and the
country, after the 9/11 attacks Rep. Weiner was the only New Yorker appointed by
House leadership to the Homeland Security Task Force. As a member of the Task
Force he has passed legislation to greatly enhance the flow of information
between state and federal authorities investigating terrorist
threats
Persons with information on this crime can call 1-800-577-8477 to
leave an anonymous tip.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/10/prweb169391.htm