Antisemitic Vandalism At Bethesda Elementary School Investigated

BETHESDA, MD — Investigators say someone painted antisemitic phrases in the parking lot at Bethesda Elementary School and on a school sign over the weekend, which authorities have deemed the vandalism a bias-related crime.

The Montgomery County Department of Police received a call about vandalism in the 7600 block of Arlington Road about 7:14 a.m. Sunday. A nearby building in the 4900 block of Del Ray Avenue was also targeted by vandals. So far, no suspect descriptions available.

"I was disgusted by the hate-filled vandalism that we saw in Bethesda. While individuals may have strong opinions and feelings about events in the Middle East, hate speech and vandalism are not acceptable outlets for any type of political concerns or comments," Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement.

"The last thing we need is further inflammatory rhetoric that drives people apart. We, as a county, have a long tradition of coming together for social justice and against hate," Elrich said. "We cannot let this important work be a casualty of these types of incidents."

He thanked Montgomery County Police, Montgomery County Public Schools, the Bethesda Regional Service Center and Bethesda Urban Partnership, which collected the necessary evidence and rapidly removed the graffiti.

Officers are canvassing the area and reviewing surveillance footage from the neighborhood in an effort to identify those responsible.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.

Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tips may remain anonymous.