Vandalism reported in Squirrel Hill on eve of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting anniversary
The hate continues to be spread in local communities with vandalism on the eve of five years since the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
Look around the Squirrel Hill neighborhood and you’ll see signs scattered throughout, but Thursday morning, many woke up to graffiti.
“I think the community is afraid, sad. For a lot of people, the terrorist attack on Oct. 7 felt like it was reopening a wound. This community has been traumatized in the most horrible way,” Laura Cherner with the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh said.
Spray paint graffiti was found on the signs placed at Jewish homes and hate speech covered the brick wall outside Taylor Allerdice High School.
“Free Palestine is a slogan used by Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization directly related to the genocide of the Jewish people and ethnic cleansing of them in the land of Israel,” explained Julie Paris, a Squirrel Hill resident.
According to FBI data, hate crimes continue to rise across the country
“The threats to the Jewish community is really a persistent threat that we’ve seen. Right now we are tracking threats nationally, whether to the Jewish, Arab, Muslim communities. And we are working to make sure that we are keeping those communities safe,” FBI Special Agent Mike Nordwall said.
The hate speech isn’t stopping the Squirrel Hill community from standing in solidarity for the Jewish faith across the world.
“We are proud to say we are Jewish, we are proud to stand with Israel as it defends itself and we are not going to back down and I hope they catch whoever did this,” said Paris.
Paris is also joining with a local rabbi to educate and talk to Jewish students following school and this crime.
“My children are very, very used to having these conversations but most kids aren’t and that’s a real issue of concern because it is a conversation that needs to be had,” Paris explained.
The graffiti is washed away, new signs replace the old in the home’s yards as the community continues to stand with Israel.
All the vandalism was reported to Pittsburgh police.
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