Hate Crime In Brookline: Swastika Found On Chabad Center Door

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline Police are investigating a hate crime and the Anti-Defamation League of New England is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the identification and prosecution of the person responsible, police and the ADL announced Monday night.

A man police said wrote anti-Semitic graffiti in Russian on the door of the Jewish Chabad Center of Brookline Sunday was captured on video, and now police and the Anti-Defamation League of New England are asking for the public’s help to identify him.

"This antisemitic act represents a direct threat to the Jewish community and is a reminder that hate never rests, even in a pandemic," said ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan. "We are grateful to Brookline Police who remain on the front lines, sacrificing themselves to keep us safe."

On Sunday around 1:40 a.m. video captured the image of a man wearing dark clothing, a dark knit hat and dark sunglasses and backpack and smoking a cigarette walk up to the Chabad Center of Brookline on Harvard Street.

You can see him standing in front of the door for a few seconds, then he steps back, puts a cap on a pen and then tosses it to the ground. He then looks at the door for a moment before walking away.

Police said the door was marked with anti-Semitic graffiti, written in Russian.

"A symbol was drawn above the words which closely resembled a swastika," according to a Brookline Police Department spokesperson who said police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Anyone with information regarding this individual is encouraged to call the Brookline Police:

Department at (617) 730-2222 or Detective Brendan Kelliher at (617) 730-2791
(bkelliher@brooklinema.gov) and reference Brookline Police Case #2020-1523