Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, BrooklyniStock

Multiple school buses belonging to a yeshiva in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, New York were spray painted with swastikas on Sunday, Williamsburg News reported.

The antisemitic incident is being investigated by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.

Brooklyn Councillor Lincoln Restler condemned the graffiti in a Twitter statement.

“Appreciate swift response from community leaders at Shomrim and [United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg] and strong NYPD presence from 79th & 90th Precincts,” Restler said. “The extraordinary rise in antisemitic attacks must stop now. We’re working on strategies to expand cultural understanding and deepen tolerance in our district.“

The New York/New Jersey chapter of the ADL demanded an end to attacks on the Jewish community in New York City.

“We are horrified that yeshiva school buses clearly marked in Yiddish could be vandalized in such a way with hateful symbols, especially on the same day that we found two Jewish men to have been assaulted in the area,” ADL New York/New Jersey tweeted. “New York must be a safe heaven for all and this hate must stop.”

The ADL was referring to two assaults on Jews that took place in Williamsburg on Friday night.

According to Hamodia, in one incident, captured on surveillance footage, an assailant walked up behind a 24-year-old Jewish man at 10:25 p.m. and punched him in the face, knocking off his shtreimel.

Another similar incident occurred nearby a few minutes earlier when an assailant hit a 44-year-old Jewish man on the ear.

The attacks were described as “heartbreaking” by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams.

“The antisemitic acts of violence and intimidation in our city this weekend are heartbreaking – we stand with the Jewish community in the face of hatred,” Williams said. “New Yorkers should not have to fear for themselves or their community. We all must unite in solidarity and safety against hate.”

The ADL announced it is offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals behind the two attacks.