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New York Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright’s office after it was vandalized. Photo: Twitter.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has opened a hate crimes investigation following two separate incidents of antisemitic vandalism this week on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
On Tuesday, the office of NY Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright was daubed with white paint alongside a note littered with antisemitic and sexist phrases that was apparently written by the culprit.
Later on the same day, Eileen Toback — executive director of the New York Professional Nurses Union — reported antisemitic graffiti by her office, which is located close to Seawright’s office. Written in green marker on a construction porta-potty, the message contained sexist and antisemitic tropes similar to those contained in the note left for Seawright.
The incidents came two weeks after Seawright hosted a virtual town hall on combating antisemitism with a panel of members from the Jewish community. The Democratic assembly member held a similar event last year after Nazi swastikas were discovered at the Asphalt Green athletic complex.
Several elected officials condemned the rhetoric used in the note and spoke out in support of Seawright.
“This cowardly act is antithetical to New York’s values,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo posted on Twitter on Wednesday. “New York has zero tolerance for hate and we will do everything in our power to hold those responsible accountable. I extend my sympathy to @SeawrightForNY that this repugnant note was left at her office.”
This cowardly act is antithetical to New York’s values.
New York has zero tolerance for hate and we will do everything in our power to hold those responsible accountable.
I extend my sympathy to @SeawrightForNY that this repugnant note was left at her office. https://t.co/Z0oUbKOc3s
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 12, 2020
A statement from the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of New York said that it remained “deeply troubled by the documented increase in anti-Semitic incidents in New York.”
“We appreciate the role being played by the NYPD in conducting a full investigation of this disturbing incident as a hate crime and will hopefully bring the perpetrators to justice,” the JCRC said.